Experiencing ‘Communitas-Through-Culture’ at the Scala Sancta
A pilgrimage in Rome reveals the relationship between objects and sacred experiences
In April of 2019, a friend, knowing that I happened to be in Rome, sent me an article about the Scala Sancta (Holy Steps)—the marble stairs to the Pope’s private chapel that are said to have been walked by Jesus when he was judged by Pontius Pilate. According to legend, these steps were brought to Rome from Jerusalem by Constantine’s mother Helen in the 4th century. For the past three hundred years, they have been covered by a protective layer of wood. The article that my friend sent was an announcement that for a brief time, the wood would be removed for a restoration project, exposing the marble for the first time in centuries. Curious to experience not only the steps but the throng of pilgrims who had lined up to climb them, my partner and I trekked to their somewhat out-of-the-way location and waited in line.
Once we were inside the building, we found ourselves in a dense mass of people, all trying to shove their way toward the stairs. When we finally arrived at the bottom of the long, painted stairwell, it felt like we had already completed an ordeal, but the…
