Theo--Not a Fan of Cathedrals

 On tour, at times, travelers with a gangster cat can become a bit overwhelmed (especially in Germany) by all the churches and cathedrals. A friend of mine once said--if you see one cathedral, you've seen them all. Sometimes I sympathize with that comment. But at other times, I don't. I can be overwhelmed by the grandeur of a cathedral, especially when you compare that grandeur to the simple houses of ordinary people who lived in that time period. 

The churches can be gigantic in size, with marble floors and stained glass windows, decorated with works of art, gold trim--the quintessential example of Gothic architecture. This is my long winded way of saying that I am so impressed by St. Peter's Cathedral that I can't move on until I share some of what is inside this space. Theo vehemently disagrees and resents every second we spend walking around and gawking. 

I love the story behind this cathedral. Initially it's built to honor St. Peter (the apostle) in 700 AD but, unfortunately, it burns down in 1156. Beginning in 1273, the process of rebuilding begins, but it's not finished until 1872, six hundred years later. 

Why does it take so long? Well, let me share some of what is inside to illustrate what you see inside:

I note the crucifix adorning a tomb, the statue in the alcove, the small intimate space devoted to Mary, the ornate columns on the wall. Every image tells a story of devotion. 

Dan and I take turns keeping Theo happy. The question is how many snacks can one cat eat? Theo explains quite simply, "I need energy, mom."

We continue:

I tell Dan I hate to leave. There is so much to see. But we've run out of snacks, and Theo is becoming jumpier with every minute we delay. He wants to be put down on the floor so he can sniff. He wants to wander over to the statues and play hide and seek. And he probably wants to take a nap in the cozyish alcove honoring Mary.

"Remember, you wanted to come on this trip. Think of how Chucky would have acted. He was always . . ." but I stop mid-sentence. Chuck, the rascal cat, had his moments, too, when he rebelled. "Never mind, Theo, you're doing just fine," I end up saying.