Got back from our trip to Italy, visited over 20 churches. Some of our favorite include:


Florence Cathedral. As impressive as this is from the outside, it might be equally unimpressive inside. Outside of the frescos on the dome interior it lacks a lot of the typical paintings, tapestries, etc. on the inside like you find at all the other churches/basilicas. But it's just so iconic to see from the outside and how it dominates the Florence skyline when viewed from afar.


Also in Florence, just a couple of blocks down from the Academia with the David statue was the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata. Small, but beautiful inside. I don't think near as many people visit as most of the cards describing the art and artifacts were only in Italian vs more touristy spots always having text in English as well.


The Siena Cathedral was another one that we thought looked amazing inside and out.


Santa Maria Maggiore might be the best looking one we've ever been in… maybe 1B to the 1A on our list, but just striking every which way you look. The gilded bronze or gold, whatever it was ceiling was incredible.


Of course we couldn't fly halfway across the world and not see the piece de resistance…. When you factor in the Sistine chapel/Vatican museums as well, it really is deserving of all the praise/attention it gets. Truly is the most impressive place we've ever been to.

Had an incredible day at the Vatican in 2021. Truly amazing.

In London since Monday. Staying near Whitehall in Westminster. Found this hidden gem in Covent Garden on Maiden Lane. Daily Mass at 1305 hrs and going to a sung Latin Mass this evening for the Feast of the Ascension. Love how the English Catholic Church still has priest saying Mass ad orientem.

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St. Patrick's in New Orleans on Camp Street not far from the WW2 museum. Was in New Orleans for 3 days and got the chance to go to Mass at this church yesterday. The mural behind the altar is called a triptych. It is museum quality. The pics don't do it justice. The stained glass is also amazing but I forgot to take pictures. The floors and the pews are cypress, so the church smells like a cypress tree and the wood is impervious to termites. They have a TLM most mornings at 0700. It just feels different when you are in a church like this. .

Not really related but here's a list of some cool old ones in Hungary.

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Abbey Church of St. George in Jk (Hungary)
The beautiful village of Jk is located on the western border of Hungary, about 10 kilometers south of Szombathely. The abbey church in Jk is one of the most important late Romanesque churches in Hungary.

It was founded around 1220 and consecrated in honor of St. George in 1256. During the construction phase, the plans may have been changed several times, as shown by various irregularities. It has a troubled history: damaged by fire, storm, and the Ottoman army, it had to be restored several times. Its most famous feature is the main entrance, which is recessed inward and has several sections, decorated with Norman motifs, and above which Jesus is depicted in the tympanum with angels and apostles. Opposite the main facade of the church, there is a small chapel. This is the Chapel of St. James, which in the Middle Ages was the church of Jac since the monastery church was not allowed to function as a parish church.

The last renovation works of the church started in 2020 and are still ongoing.

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More: here.