The wonders thereunder

I wasn't quite sure what we were going to see there under Vatican City. The whole seemed a little creepy to me, though I did not saay that out loud. We had seen Raphael's place of burial at the Pantheon and also that of ancient kings of Rome/Italy. Near the Piazza Navona, we were shown an excavatation site where many layers of the city could be viewed; somewhere in around twenty layers, as I recall. One layer would be destroyed by fire or floor or earth quake or some other force of nature or of man, and the area, which in Rome has always been at a premium, would be filled in, smoothed out and a new thing built. As this happened over time (for as we all know, Rome was not built in a day...) what was underneath was often forgotten.
When there was no longer room for popes to be buried in St. Peter Basilica, new area had to be dug into to accomodate an expansion. In the digging there was discovered large tombs, some of them for entire families. Marking and etchings and even the soil that covered them helped date the sites.
We walked through narrow passage ways, single file, past walls and against walls that were 2,000 years old and peered into what was to have been the final resting place of many a human and even a few animals. It was dark and musty and we were feeling rather closed in but were too intrigued with what we were seeing and hearing to mind too much.
The very last spot in the maze of alcoves had been widened to accomodate the dozen or so of us in our group. We crowded in to an area surrounded on all sides, above and below, with a thick plexiglass and were directed to find an orange light that illuminated the spot where the Apostle Peter, the Fisher or Men, the Friend of Christ was buried.
The guide explained to us why many are certain that what we saw was the grace of St. Peter. A student of archeology, it was apparent by her explainations that she was learned in the field. She used the phrases "I must tell you" and "it is important that you know" to preface things of particular significance on the tour.
She combined the phrases as she asked us, one at a time, to stand near her and see some 19 boxes of bones containing the final remains of St. Peter, who is considered by the Catholic Church to be the first Pope.
Stories from the Bible I have read and had read to me my whole life began to enter my mind, one after another. I have heard some many sermons, read many books and articles over the years on many events in Peter's life: on the Peter's denial of Christ, Peter walking on the water, Peter with John at the tomb.
It grew very quiet there under the floors of the places we had explored from above  just that morning and the  morning before. I expect many in the group were getting there minds wrapped around many things even as I was. For me, it was all just overwhelming.

After a time, we were led along, past chapels and through halls. Along the walk bells began to chime from very near by, calling pilgrims to mass. Then the voices of children singing, beautifully singing, could be heard from up above us. Before we reached the ground level, there came the sound of prayers, being recited in unison, by older and deeper voices. There were some in our group who cried. I admit, I was on the verge of tears. When we walked up and into the great Basilica, the late afternoon sun was streaming through the portal windows high overhead. Suffice it to say it was all very emotional.
It must be further said that I am glad Karen the Good went to all the trouble to get us tickets for this tour.  For dinner I drank a big glass of "you were right again." And I did not mind at all.