''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?" The phrase originates from the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

tradition regarding Saint Peter's first words to the risen Christ during their encounter along the Appian Way. According to the

apocryphal Apocrypha are works, usually written, of unknown authorship or of doubtful origin. The word ''apocryphal'' (ἀπόκρυφος) was first applied to writings which were kept secret because they were the vehicles of esoteric knowledge considered ...

Acts of Peter ( Vercelli Acts XXXV; late 2nd century AD), as Peter flees from crucifixion in Rome at the hands of the government, and along the road outside the city, he meets the risen Jesus. In the Latin translation, Peter asks Jesus, "''Quō vādis?''" He replies, "''Rōmam eō iterum crucifīgī''" ("I am going to Rome to be crucified again"). Peter then gains the courage to continue his ministry and returns to the city, where he is martyred by being crucified upside-down. The

Church of Domine Quo Vadis Santa Maria in Palmis ( it, Chiesa di Santa Maria delle Piante; la, Sanctae Mariae in Palmis), also known as Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis, is a small church southeast of Rome. It is located about some 800 m from Porta San Sebastiano, where ...

in Rome is built where the meeting between Peter and Jesus allegedly took place. The words "quo vadis" as a question also occur at least seven times in the Latin Vulgate.

In culture

The Polish writer

Henryk Sienkiewicz Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz ( , ; 5 May 1846 – 15 November 1916), also known by the pseudonym Litwos (), was a Polish writer, novelist, journalist and Nobel Prize laureate. He is best remembered for his historical novels, especi ...

wrote the novel '' Quo Vadis: A Narrative of the Time of Nero'' (published in installments between 1895 and 96). The book in turn has been made into motion pictures several times, including a 1951 version that was nominated for eight Academy Awards. For this and other novels, Sienkiewicz received the 1905 Nobel Prize for Literature. In a season four episode of ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. The ...

'' entitled "

Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler? "Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler?" was the 82nd episode of the ''M*A*S*H'' television series, and the tenth of season four. The episode aired on November 7, 1975. " Quo Vadis" is Latin for "Where are you going?" and is a reference to a conversation r ...

" the reference pertains to Jesus Christ. A shellshocked officer arrives at the hospital believing he is the Christ. He has numerous conversations with the characters, including

Father Mulcahy This is a list of characters from the ''M*A*S*H'' franchise, covering the various fictional characters appearing in the novel '' MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors'' and its sequels, the 1970 film adaptation of the novel, and the televis ...

. He ultimately leaves the MASH unit for an evacuation hospital, still unrecovered. ''

Quo Vadis, Aida ''Quo Vadis, Aida?'' ( '' Where are you going, Aida?'') is a 2020 Bosnian film written, produced and directed by Jasmila Žbanić. An international co-production of twelve production companies, the film was shown in the main competition section ...

'' is a film about the Srebrenica massacre by director

Jasmila Žbanić Jasmila Žbanić (; born 19 December 1974) is a Bosnian film director, screenwriter and producer, best known for having written and directed ''Quo Vadis, Aida?'' (2020), which earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Languag ...

. Quo Vadis has also been used as a name by many companies and groups. There is a

Quo Vadis ''Quō vādis?'' (, ) is a Latin phrase meaning "Where are you marching?". It is also commonly translated as "Where are you going?" or, poetically, "Whither goest thou?" The phrase originates from the Christian tradition regarding Saint Pete ...

in London, restaurant established in 1926 in a house where Karl Marx once lived. A students’ club at University of Pittsburgh, established in 1944 to give tours of the

Nationality Rooms The Nationality Rooms are a group of 31 classrooms in the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning depicting and donated by the national and ethnic groups that helped build the city of Pittsburgh. The rooms are designated as a Pittsbur ...

, is called Quo Vadis.

References

External links

* * {{Commonscat-inline, Quo vadis Latin words and phrases Saint Peter Vulgate Latin words and phrases