VATICAN CORNER
The Vatican and the surrounding City of Rome are not considered to be at high seismic risk. The ground beneath them is free of faults, and volcanic activity is thankfully distant, but the historical record tells a different story, with Rome struck again and again by minor but nonetheless damaging earthquakes. In 15 AD an earthquake collapsed a section of the Severan wall that encircled Rome as a defense barrier. In the fifth or sixth century A.D. an earthquake caused the collapse of at least 20 of the columns of the Coliseum, crushing bleachers and destroying sections of the underground chambers. In 801 another earthquake brought down the roof and rafters of St. Paul’s Basilica. In 1044, the ground trembled so hard that church bells began ringing. In 1349 an earthquake knocked down buildings and battered the St. Peter’s and St. Paul’s Basilicas, taking off the top of the Conti tower, a fortification, and likely destroying the southern wall of the Coliseum. Up until then the Coliseum was still being used as a bullring. It went into neglect after that and became a quarry for travertine. In 1812 a house just outside St. Paul’s Gate collapsed, and probably many more houses, but they went unreported. The earthquakes that reach Rome usually originate some 50 miles or more away, in the geologically unstable Apennines. By the time the shock waves arrive, much of the energy has been dissipated, but that does not mean that modern Rome and the Vatican are immune. Damage from an earthquake has two major contributors, the energy released in the tectonic slip and the type of ground that absorbs the blow. Much of Rome is built on alluvial deposits from the Tiber River and its tributaries, consisting of loosely packed sand and clay that are not only susceptible to moving during a quake, but under the right conditions, can magnify the power of the quake. To make matters worse, much of modern Rome was hastily built after WWII with little attention to codes or permits. According to a 2011 survey, one building in three in Rome doesn’t have an official certificate of habitability. In Rome little attention is being paid to the threat of earthquakes. Safe earthquake gathering points have not been established and schools and business are unaware of the danger with little or no preparation or training taking place for earthquake emergencies. There are also no plans to bring the housing up to modern seismic codes. God the Father, we join together in prayer and petition heaven for divine intervention to mitigate earthquakes and natural disasters. We invoke the powerful name of Jesus to calm the storms of time and to bring forth a millennium of peace and tranquility. We pray to the Virgin Mary to intercede on behalf of humanity for God’s hand of mercy to bless us with divine protection. We ask this and thank thee in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen
Sources: Time.com, christian-miracles.com, catholicdigest.com