Day 50 | Trajan's Market and Santa Maria Maggiore

Day 50, Rome—Today we went to Trajan’s Market. This is an old Roman market that has been transformed into a museum that displays pieces of statues, buildings, and tools that were found throughout the old Roman Empire. It also displays full models of old Roman monuments, amphitheaters, and buildings that are partially gone today, like the Colosseum.

I really love how the old Roman market was made new into something that people can learn from, interact with, and experience a tiny part of what life was like long ago. 

In a way, it reminds me of how when we choose to follow Christ, he makes us into a new creation. We still have our physical bodies, but He takes out the old broken down pieces of sin and disobedience, cleans us up, and allows us to be in relationship with Him. All of this happens because Jesus took all of our sin on Himself when He died on the cross. 

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

We also visited a church called Santa Maria Maggiore. The groundbreaking for this building was in 432 AD and it was completed in 1743. This is one of my favorite church buildings we’ve visited. I love the long, open nave and the beautiful mosaics that are displayed.