June 21, 2025: The Vatican Museums

Our third day on pilgrimage started with a trip to the smallest nation in the world: the Vatican City. While the Vatican is not even a square mile, the museums house some of the world’s most precious art work. Some of the highlights include the Apollo Belvedere, the Laocoön, the School of Athens (Raphael), and the Disputatio (Raphael) to name a few. This tour was concluded with the Sistine Chapel (Michelangelo) where Pope Leo XIV was elected as the first Holy Father from our great nation just six weeks ago. What a privilege to encounter this historical sight during this beautiful Jubilee year of Hope! To top it all off, some lucky students got gelato at Old Bridge, the favorite gelato shop of Pope John Paul II!