If you’ve ever thought “we need more sacred art in the world” while staring at another soulless office park or beige wall… this episode of Morning Air with John Morales and guest James Perry is exactly what your heart’s been longing for. 💖 Let’s explain in three parts: the history, the heart, and the hope.
✝️ Part I: A Basilica with Bones… and a Backstory
Jim Perry, retired finance expert turned Catholic philanthropist extraordinaire (alongside his wife Molly), is the founder of The San Clemente Project: an initiative to restore the breathtaking Basilica of San Clemente in Rome. This place is no ordinary church. It’s basically a time capsule of the Church’s early years:
🏛️ Top layer: A stunning 12th-century basilica with ancient mosaics, marble floors, and hidden chapels.
🕍 Middle layer: A 4th-century church built after Christianity was legalized.
🏠 Bottom layer: A 1st-century Roman house, believed to belong to Titus Flavius Clemens, an early Christian martyred under Domitian.
This is the spot where history, martyrdom, and divine beauty all meet. And it’s still bringing people back to the Faith.
🧡 Part II: Beauty That Evangelizes
Jim passionately explains how beauty is transformative. Through:
🌿 Vine-like mosaics flowing from the crucifixion
🎶 Irish Dominicans chanting daily in ancient marble choir stalls
🎨 Frescoes from the 8th, 14th, and 16th centuries, some now being uncovered after 225 years of grime
Visitors encounter a visceral, sacred stillness that awakens the soul. It’s the kind of place where you don’t just see the Church… you feel it. You touch the stones of martyrs and saints like St. Clement, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Cyril.
🙏 Part III: The Mission and the Movement
The San Clemente Project is about restoring a spiritual treasure for future generations of pilgrims and believers.
The goal is to raise $20 million to:
💡 Improve lighting and accessibility in the excavations
🛠️ Restore frescoes and architecture in the upper basilica
🎥 Add audiovisuals to help pilgrims understand the story better
So far, they’ve raised about $8 million. 🧱 Every dollar gets them closer to unveiling this sacred masterpiece.
How you can help:
Visit the Basilica website.
Plan a pilgrimage to Rome and visit this basilica; it’s one of the most visited, but somehow still a hidden gem 💎
Share the story, spread the beauty 🌍
Final Thought:
In a world where we’re starved for meaning, beauty may be one of the last remaining paths to truth. The San Clemente Project shows us that even ancient stones can preach the Gospel, if we let them shine again.
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