In my recent trip to Rome in May of 2000, I found the city to be one of the most idolatrous cities I have ever visited. Statues of idols everywhere, and not all of them had any relationship at all to the Christian faith. Here are some:

Pope Urban VIII commissioned Bernini to create the Triton Fountain for Piazza Barberini. The artist accomplished the work in 1642 - 1643, making use of allegorical motifs alluding to the marine gods and exalting the commissioning family by including the symbolic Barberinin bees among the decorative themes. ("Art and History Rome and the Vatican" special edition for the Jubilee year 2000.") See Wikipedia

Triton, in Greek mythology, son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, personification of roaring waters; blows a twisted seashell to calm or raise waves; tritons usually represented with torso of a man, tail of a dolphin, forefeet of a horse. (Cromptons Encyclopedia)

The Obelisk above is called "Vatican Obelisk". Here is a quote from "Art and History Rome and the Vatican" special edition for the Jubilee year 2000. "

"the square was built over a part of the ancient Vatican Circus (or Nero's Circus, though in reality built entirely during Caligula's reign), of which there remains the so-called Vatican Obelisk, transported here in 37 BC from Alexandria, where it decorated Ceasar's Forum. Called in medieval times the aguglia, it stood at length beside the basilica, until in 1596 Pope Sixtus V ordered Domenico Fontana to move it to it's present site."

The Egyptians worshipped the sun god and here is the "sun dial" of their worship, right in the middle of Saint Peter's Square. Look again at the photo above, and notice the "sun dial."

Rome also has a variety of nude statues, many commissioned by Pope's in the past. This Obelisk, once belonging to the Mausoleum of Augustus, was placed here under Pope Pius VI, near the Church of San Rocco.

Quote "Pantheon Fountain - As desigened by Dela Porta in the second half of the 16th century, this fountain was devoid of the Obelisk of Rameses II. Originally in the Iseo Compense, the Obelisk was ordered erected here by Pope Clement XI, who had it transported from the nearby Piazza San Macuto.

Ramses II (or Rameses II), king of Egypt (1298-32 BC); known for great number of his statues and for having his name carved on monuments. (from Crompton's Encyclopedia) It goes on to say that he was the Pharoah who resisted God and Moses by keeping the Hebrews in slavery!

"...in 1792, Pope Pio VI charged Giovanni Antinori with the task of setting up at the center of Palazzo Montecitorio square the obelisk of Psammetychus II."

There is also the Esquiline Obelisk placed in Piazza del Esquiline by Pope Sixtus V in 1587.

The Sallustian Obelisk Placed at the steps of the Church of Trinita Dei Monti by Pope Pius VI in 1789.

The Fleminian Obelisk also from Rameses II placed in Piazza del Popolo by Pope Sixtus V in 1589 which was placed between the statues of "Neptune and Two Tritons" and the "Goddess Rome between the Tiber and the Aniene Rivers".

NEPTUNE. In Roman mythology the name Neptune was given to the Greek sea god Poseidon. (Crompton's Encyclopedia)

The Lateran Obelisk originally part of the Egyptian Temple of Ammon in Thebes and later Constantius II placed it Circus Maximus in 357. Pope Sixtus V placed it in Piazza di S. Giovanni in 1587.

Ammon - Re is the Egyptian "King of the God's". See Obelisk and read "Luxor Temple", the original home of this Obelisk.

In Piazza Navona, at the Obelisk of "The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi" Pope Gregory XIII installed the fountain of " Fontana del Nettuno" in the 16th century where you will find Neptune Fighting an Octopus.

NEPTUNE. In Roman mythology the name Neptune was given to the Greek sea god Poseidon. (Crompton's Encyclopedia)

In the Museo Chiaramonti, founded by order of Pope Pius VII in early 1800's, you will find exhibits of Greek gods such as:

Egyptian IDOL worship! And the Catholic church has these Egyptian idols and set them up throughout idolatrous Rome.

(Lev 26:1 KJV) Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

(Ezek 20:7 KJV) Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

(Ezek 20:8 KJV) But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.

(2 Chr 15:8 KJV) And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.