12 PHOTOS OF ROME - ST. JOHN LATERAN

Major Papal, Patriarchal and Roman Archbasilica Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist in Lateran, Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World

St. John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome, Holy See. It has been the first church to be built in Rome in an area that was donated to the Pope by the Emperor Constantine I the Great.

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St. John Villa

Villa Borghese Guest House

WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO - 2

The English proverb "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", shows the influence if Rome on the popular cultural of different countries.

No diet when in Rome

Romes love dining with friends having good food. And the roman cuisine is everything but light.

If you want to enjoy properly your visit in Rome, you have to forget your diet, at leat for few days.

There are few Roman proverbs about food and its effect. Those are a couple of them.

Omo de panza, omo de sostanza - Belly man, important man

A robust man is a healty and wealthy man. 

Quello che nun strozza, 'ngrassa - What will not soffocate you, will fatten you

If something does not kill you, it will improve your health and wealth.

Obviously, it always happens in Rome, there is also the sarcastic vision of the two proverbs.

The first proverb might be used also for someone that is getting fatter meaning something like "By fattening, do you want to show you are becoming more important?"

The second proverb might be used for those that eat or accept everything, even disgusting providing it is not damaging them.

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St. John Villa

Villa Borghese Guest House

WHEN IN ROME, DO AS THE ROMANS DO - 1

The English proverb "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", shows the influence if Rome on the popular cultural of different countries.

Therefore, it is not a bad idea to know some Roman proverb or popular saying, even because, when in Rome, it will easily happen that a Roman will try to translate it to English assuming that everyone will understand it. Actually speaking, once I did it, translating a popular saying into English, and the result was ilarious. By the way, a foreigner that is able to use the popular Roman sayings will get a lot of respect.

In its long history, Rome has seen everything. Therefore, Romans have a strong sense of irony and a sisenchanted character that might also appear to be cynical and sarcastic.

That's the way to look at popular sayings.

Let's start with the first

Morto 'n papa, se ne fa 'n'antro

One pope dies, another one is elected

Sometimes people believe to be very important, much more than they actually are. A Roman will say to them that even a pope can be replaced, so they have to lower their self-consideration.

Another interpretation is that if something goes wrong, there will always be another opportunity.
By the way, sometimes, although not really frequently, a new pope is elected even if the old one is still alive. Nowadays we are living in a time with two popes.

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St. John Villa

Villa Borghese Guest House