Near to every Dominican’s heart, especially every SAN RAFAEL Dominican’s heart: 
The 5thc. Basilica on the Aventine Hill gives its name to the street: Dominicans have been here for awhile, its ancient, medieval, and later parts commingling (here,in a great, silly look: an ancient bath and a later – 15thc? – fountain)
Inside, I sat for awhile in the well-worn choir stalls, thinking of The Great Ones, Dominicans here and other places I’ve known.
Outside, I found again the great cypress door which contains, among its panels, what is thought to be the earliest-ever depiction of the crucified Christ (somewhere there on the bottom…)
(No photo of the classic 3-naved interior which was, as ever, breathtaking in its sparseness)
)
In other visits, I’d walked out and seen Dominic’s orange tree; this time, this view, and it was a fine one.
mebtravelling 