All the Christians have heard about it! The sacred site of the Holy Stairs is the staircase Jesus climbed to reach the hall where he was interrogated by Pontius Pilate before his crucifixion. It is close to the basilica of St. John Lateran, the first of the four major papal basilicas and the oldest in the West, in the complex called the Pontifical Sanctuary of the "Scala Santa". On the left side of the square we find the famous "Scala", 28 white marble steps covered by a wooden protection, put in place starting from the top to avoid being trampled by the feet of the masons. According to legend, the Scala Santa was brought from Jerusalem to Rome in the 4th century at the behest of the Empress St. Helen, mother of Constantine. Since then, the faithful, from all over the world, climb the steps on their knees as a sign of respect and devotion, reciting prayers and asking for the indulgence of sins. Also known as the Sanctuary of the Passion of Christ, the place owes its name to the fact that Jesus, according to the tradition, went to the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, after being scourged, so some drops of blood would have remained imprinted inside the steps, and today they are considered a very precious relic. The Scala Santa is flanked by four service stairs, two on each side. Using the one on the right, you enter the Oratory of St. Sylvester in the Palatio. From here, passing through a large bronze door with ancient locks, you enter the Chapel of the Popes, called Sancta Sanctorum, where the image of Christ the Saviour "akeropita" (from the Greek: not made by human hand) is venerated. In fact, according to tradition, it was started by St. Luke who began to paint it and was finished by the hand of an angel. It is a place of high spiritual value, especially in the week before Easter. But also of high artistic value. Not to be missed