InRoman footsteps . . .

The RPE department recently ran our GCSE trip to Rome, on which we explored the philosophical and religious past and present of the Italian capital

As well as being of huge interest, this provided valuable information and experiences supporting the study of RPE at GCSE

The trip included a walking tour of the Roman Forum and Colosseum, where students considered the intersection between the early Church and the ancient Roman world

The group learnt about the transformation of many ancient pagan sites of worship into Christian sites of worship as Christianity gained a foothold in Western thought and societies

The Pantheon, which students saw during the walking tour which also included the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and Piazza Novena, provided a perfect example of the complex and layered religious and philosophical history of Rome

Furthermore, they visited the Catacombs di Santa Domitilla, which provided another opportunity to explore the history of early Christianity and life in ancient Rome

Finally, we had a guided tour of the Vatican museums, St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, all of which were breathtaking in their richness of history and their beauty

The students learnt about the seat of the Catholic Church throughout the last 2000 years to the present day

Many students held out high hopes of seeing the Pope, however, he must have been having a busy day because there was no sight of him

On top of their tour to the Vatican, students also saw the Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore, which has held mass every day since the 5th century!

The students were a credit to themselves, and it was great to be with them over the three days

Thank you to all of the staff involved with the running of this trip; it wouldn’t have been possible without you

Rebecca Kirby, RPE Department