Day 7 – The Triumph of Christ (Rome)

Today we stepped into the very heart of Rome, the Forum, the marketplace of the ancient world.

Every emperor had his mark here. Julius Caesar built a forum. Augustus had his own. Domitian raised his palace nearby. Nero’s Golden House once gleamed just across the way. Vespasian, Trajan, and others followed suit. The Roman Forum was not just the center of politics and trade; it was the stage of glory, the heartbeat of empire, the place where power paraded itself.

Through this main way, the Via Sacra, emperors and generals would return from conquest. They’d march in triumph, displaying captives, treasures, and symbols of their victories. One of the most famous was Titus, who paraded through this very road after destroying the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. The menorah and sacred vessels from the Temple were carried through the road for all to see. The gold he brought back from Jerusalem financed the construction of the Colosseum itself.

Every triumph was meant to declare: ROME REIGNS SUPREME.

But today, standing in this place of earthly glory, we remembered another kind of triumph.

The Apostle Paul and early writers like Mark took this very image, the victory procession of a Roman emperor, and turned it on its head. Writing to the Colossians, Paul said:

“Having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.” (Colossians 2:15)

The Roman world celebrated victory through domination. Christ declared victory through sacrifice.

The emperor’s triumph led captives to death; Christ’s triumph led captives to freedom.

From there, we made our way to a place far less glamorous but infinitely more sacred, the Mamertine Prison, where Paul was likely held before his execution under Emperor Nero. In this dark, cold cell, Paul would have penned some of his final words, still echoing with faith and courage: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).

We ended our day with a lighter step, walking the streets of modern Rome, visiting the Pantheon, whose massive unreinforced dome still stands since 118 AD, built under Emperor Hadrian. Some tossed coins into the Trevi Fountain, sipped cappuccinos, and savored gelato while centuries of history rose around us.

But even amid the marvels of Rome, one truth stood tall:

True victory is not found in conquest but in the cross.

Tonight, we rest in the city of emperors and apostles, grateful for both the beauty of Rome and the deeper story it tells: a kingdom not of power, but of peace; not of triumphal parades, but of a crucified and risen King.

From the Forum to the Cross,

Jerrell