On Thursday the 12th I again visited the Vatican, with increased pleasure, as I was enabled to recognise many of the statues as old acquaintances.
On the following day, Mr. C. and myself visited the churches of St. Pietro in Vinculis, St. Maria Maggiore, St. Martin and the chapel of Remus.
We then explored the baths of Titus, the Forum and the Coliseum. At the latter, we remained some time examining the Arena. We ascended the long staircases, traversed the encircling corridors, looked into the baker's oven and carried off as sacred relics a small piece of brick pavement and one of the many wild plants, which grew abundantly upon the walls.
During this research, a monk, attended by a number of followers, entered the Arena, took his station in the centre and treated us with an exhibition of very correspondent character to what had so frequently been displayed on this spot during the periods of the glory of Rome.
He paced backwards and forwards upon the space of a few yards, ranting most violently and accompanying his voice with such gesticulations and actions that he might, by a slight effort of imagination, have been readily mistaken for a wild beast displaying on the Arena.
I am almost ashamed to acknowledge that a ludicrous comparison of former with present times suggested itself to our minds while he was detailing to an admiring and approving audience, in this roaring manner, the virtues of the blessed Virgin and asserting her claims to be worshipped in preference to our Saviour himself, and every other power in heaven or on earth, above or below.
The only cool spectators, besides ourselves, were three German artists, who, however, paid a greater compliment to the orator than we did, for although they continued their sketches of the building, they took off their hats out of respect for the religion of the country.
extract from The Narrative of a Journey through France, &c. (London, 1822) by James Holman FRS, pp.155-157, edited by Joe Rizzo Naudi.