The 28 white marble steps were covered in protective walnut by Pope Innocent XIII in 1723. “No one had ever thought to be able to climb the marble stairs. The moment we saw what was underneath, the idea came to open them publicly.”(Image: ALESSANDRO DI MEO/EPA-EFE/REX)Some Christians believe the Scala Sancta steps were climbed by Jesus before he was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate in Jerusalem. They are thought to have been taken to Rome in the fourth century AD, where they now lead to the Sancta Sanctorum chapel. According to Christian tradition, four spots of Christ’s blood stained the steps.

Source: Daily Mirror April 12, 2019 20:03 UTC