The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, or simply Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican City. By Catholic Tradition, the Basilica is the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ and, also according to tradition, the first Pope and Bishop of Rome. Construction of the present basilica, replacing the Old Saint Peter's Basilica of the 4th century AD, began in 1506 and was completed in 1626.
Saint Peter's Square is located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City where crowds gather to congregate, hear papal addresses, and attend outdoor masses. The open space was redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini from 1656 to 1667. The curving "Bernini's colonnades" extend on both sides of the Saint Peter's Basilica and enclose Saint Peter's Square (which is actually round). The colonnade – 284 56-feet-tall columns with 140 statues of saints (70 on each side) – represents the arms of the Church reaching out to embrace the world[1].
Bellairs Corpus[]
- The notes found in the desk of a New York advertising executive speculate the gifts the next pope to visit the United States and President Lyndon Johnson could give each other, noting that salt shakers of the United States Capitol and this building would be virtually identical with their white domes (Saint Fidgeta and Other Parodies; 31).
- Attendees of Vatican III obviously see this building while visiting Vatican City (Saint Fidgeta and Other Parodies, 87).
- During Vatican III, a Commission on Marian Titles met to read a list of possible titles, the length of which ran from this church to a residence on Via Pulcinella (Saint Fidgeta and Other Parodies, 93).
- Questions about the openness brought forth from the Second Vatican Council are said to "[echo] from the portico of Saint Peter's to the pamphlet rack of Saint Patrick's" (Saint Fidgeta and Other Parodies, 97).
Reference[]
- ↑ Wikipedia: St. Peter's Basilica