Still Pilgrims: Rome to Velletri on the Appian Way

We are pilgrims again! But first may I take a moment to apologize to all cyclists for my suggestion that to be a mere biker is somehow less worthy. I have always held in high regard all people who move through the world on two self propelled wheels. I also think smears of bike grease on the back of the calves when dining out are particularly sexy.

For some crazy reason however, Gord and I just love being pilgrims. For us there is nothing better than finding an ancient route to follow.

Yesterday we were casting about for a route for the next leg of our travels. We dropped into a bookstore and found an Italian guide book for the Via Francigena Nel Sud. This is a 700 km continuation of the Via Francigena used by pilgrims to Jerusalem. It largely follows the Appian Way from Rome to Brindisi. We bought the book and and this morning headed out of Rome on the Appian Way, allegedly the first paved long distance road in the Western World. This road is just lined with Roman ruins and bits of history everywhere. Some of the original flagstone paving remains. It is very picturesque, but 2300 years of use have left their mark and the surface is essentially unrideable. We contented ourselves with taking pictures and riding on a dirt track beside the Appian Way.

Our first pilgrim stop was at the Catacombs of Saint Callisto. Here we were treated to a fantastic tour of the first Christian cemetery, with tombs and frescoes dating back to the the early third century. I studied these early examples of Christian art in university so it was thrilling to see them first hand. Included in the tour was the earliest depiction of the cross as a Christian symbol.