Bible Reading Marathon in Rome

Monday October 6, 2008

If you're in Rome and wondering why there are suddenly huge crowds at Santa Croce in Gerusalemme Church, it's because there's a one week nonstop reading of the Bible interspersed with religious music, according to the Canadian Press. Yesterday the Pope started the reading from the Vatican. Readers who continued at Santa Croce included Roberto Benigni, known for his movie Life is Beautiful (compare prices). Other Italian celebrities will participate for a total of about 1200 readers that includes Catholics and people of other faiths. Their plan is to read all 73 books of the Catholic Bible.

Santa Croce (Holy Cross) Church is one of Rome's top churches to visit and is a popular pilgrimage church. Inside Santa Croce are a collection of relics, a replica of the Shroud of Turin, and the shrine of a young girl being considered for sainthood. Outside is a monastic and archaeological complex that includes gardens set in the Castrense amphitheater. There's also a hotel run by the monks, Domus Sessoriana. Santa Croce is near Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, the cathedral of Rome.