Pyramid and Puja at the Protestant Cemetery

The first of many memorable outings occurred on our third day in Rome when I joined our B & B hostess and the monks on a trip to a new-ish organic store called Citta della altra Economia, run by the government. But before I go any further I should say that the main focus of our outing this day was to visit the Protestant Cemetery where the monks performed puja over the grave of our hostess’ mother in honor of her death anniversary.

The Cimitero Protestante (Protestant Cemetery) is the most gorgeous cemetery I've ever seen. The resting place of Keats and Shelley (who described the cemetery as so beautiful “it might make one in love with death, to be buried in so sweet a place.”) is also the home of the Pyramid of Cestius, built about 18 BC–12 BC as a tomb for Gaius Cestius Epulo. Because tombs were forbidden within the city walls at the time of its construction, the Pyramid of Cestius would have stood in open countryside. The origins of the pyramid were forgotten during the Middle Ages, and the inhabitants of Rome came to believe that it was the tomb of Remus and that its counterpart near the Vatican was the tomb of Romulus. This was a belief recorded by Petrarch.

Not too far south of the Protestant Cemetery, but just far south enough that it isn’t on my map the organic mall is situated on the grounds of what I think must be the ruins of an ancient stockyards/auction site (I noticed that some carriage horses are still stabled here). This complex called Citta della altra Economia has a large grocery store, a great organic café and coffee bar, AND a eco-friendly, locally-made goods boutique. While the monks shopped I sat outside at a table in the sunshine and enjoyed a walnut and olive pate torte and some yummy bitter greens-the first real vegetarian food I’d had. Then it was my turn to shop (this place has bargain basement prices!) and I could hardly control myself. Knowing I had to carry these groceries back to Trastevere on foot (about a mile and a half) I limited myself to two bags of goodies that cost just under twenty euro. I haven’t had a chance to get back to this funky, cheap-as-dirt locale again, but I’m making it a point to do so.