Baths and Bones—by Neha (photos by Kelli except when noted)

After a peaceful morning exploring Ostia, we headed to the baths of Diocletian. These baths, the tepidarium of which has been preserved and converted into a church, are truly beautiful. The church, Mary of Angels and Martyrs, was immaculate and spectacular, but the first thing that caught my eye was the size. The palaestra, or sports ground, was huge. And the tepidarium itself was too massive to be put into words. 

One thing about the church that I found interesting were the fake coffered ceilings. It seemed as though the ceilings were coffered, but upon further inspection, they were revealed to be painted on. The church actually had horoscopes inscribed into the floor [from its time before it became a Catholic church], which I found really interesting as it’s something the group hasn’t really come across before. 

After leaving the baths of Diocletian, we headed to the Capuchine church and museum. This part has been one of the highlights of the trip so far for me. There were mixed feelings about the capuchine church, but I loved it. As someone who is interested by the mysteries surrounding monkhood as well as the intriguing nature of bones and skeletons, this was really the place for me. 

When I stepped in, I mostly saw descriptions of the capuchine monks and their customs, as well as several detailed accounts of the monks themselves. One description I remember is about a monk who was on fire for three days and survived, and was the creator of the hospital. There were books and artifacts used by the monks. Overall the place had a very creepy, mysterious vibe, helped by the dim lighting. 

The best part about the capuchine relics however were the creations made of bones. We entered a dim hallway, where there were three structures made of bones. Jaw bones and tailbones created eerie patterns on the ceiling, and the structures themselves were made of longer bones and skulls. There were several full skeletons dressed in robes as well, which I felt was a little bit weird but overall added to the vibe of the place. The place to me was really fantastic, as it’s not the kind of tourist attraction that I’m used to and plays more to the dark sides of human nature. 

[These images are from postcards from the crypt, as personal photography is not allowed.]

When we were leaving the capuchine church, we actually came across a famous Italian rapper, recognized by Sofia. His name was Fedez and he apparently has three platinum albums in Italy, and is touring Italy for the month. He was being followed by his entourage. It was pretty interesting, and definitely memorable. 

After finding out the Ara Pacis was closed early for an event [we will return tomorrow instead], we went out to dinner and then to gelato. 

We headed back to the Casa la Salle, and I’m ready to go to bed after a tiring yet interesting day!  

Neha and friends at Ostia Antica earlier in the day.