Mammertime Prison

This morning, Tara and I set our alarm at 9:00 am in order to have a productive day of both sight seeing and studying.  It was raining out but that did not stop our plans to take the number 46 bus to the Mammertime Prison.  We left our apartment ready with rain boots, umbrellas, and singing a combination of “under my umbrella” along with “singing in the rain.”  We had some difficulties finding the prison but that just made the adventure more exciting and it was well worth it because the tour was one of the coolest tours I have yet to do. 

The tour was extremely high tech with an audio guide and a corresponding soundtrack.  Mammertime prison is most famous because it is where Saint Peter was imprisoned before his execution for 9 months.  The prison is 2,500 years old.  We first entered a room where we saw a hole that viewed down to the jail cells.  We were told that this was the hole that they lowered the prisoners down into the cell and then covered it up.  We then took the stairs down to the level of the actual prison floor.  I saw the column to which Peter was chained.  It is said that a miraculous fountain sprang up in this room so that Peter could convert and baptize his fellow inmates.  We saw the hole or “fountain” that to this day still fills with water from the rain.  I then went into this room that was meant to be a virtual jail room.  The walls changed colors and told history about Saint Peter and more facts about the jail.  The virtual jail room made me feel like I was on a ride as it the wall changed from brick to stone and even told a couple stories with actors.  There is now a church on top of the jail cell.  In the church there is an upside-down cross which commemorates Peters upside-down crucifixion.  On the walls near the entry are lists of notable prisoners and they were executed.  For example, strangolati, decapitato, moto per fame (died of hunger).  The sign by the names reads “Here suffered, victorious for the triumph of Christ, these martyr saints.” 

After the tour, Tara and I hoped on a bus and went to our favorite Chinese restaurant right next to the Vatican.  We have only been twice but every time we go it is filled with priests.  I think we found the Vatican priests hotspot!