St. Peter's Basilica in Rome: the bitter truth. Architect of the Cathedral of St. Chief Architect of the Cathedral of St. Peter

St. Peter's Cathedral(Italian: Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano) is a Catholic cathedral on the territory of the sovereign state of Vatican City. One of the four patriarchal basilicas of Rome and the ceremonial center of the Roman Catholic Church.

Until 1990, St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome was the largest Christian cathedral in the world; in 1990, it was surpassed by the cathedral in Yamoussoukro, the capital of the African state of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

The size of St. Peter's Basilica is simply amazing. It covers an area of 22067 sq.m. Cathedral height - 138 m, length without portico - 186.36 m, and with a portico - 211.5 m. Architectural style: Renaissance And baroque.

Once upon a time, in the place where St. Peter's Cathedral now stands, there were the gardens of Nero's circus (from it, by the way, the obelisk from Heliopolis remains, which to this day stands in St. Peter's Square).

In the circus arena during the times Nero Christians were martyred. In 67, after the trial, he was brought here Apostle Peter. Peter asked that his execution not be compared to Christ’s. Then he was crucified head down. St. Clement, the then bishop of Rome, with the faithful disciples of the apostle, took his body from the cross and buried him in a nearby grotto.

The first basilica was built in 324 during the reign of the first Christian Emperor Constantine, and the remains of St. Peter were transferred there. In the first council in 800, Pope Leo III crowned Carla Great Emperor of the West.

At the beginning of the 16th century, the basilica, which had already existed for eleven centuries, threatened to collapse, and under Nicholas V they began to expand and rebuild it.

This issue was radically resolved by Julius II, who ordered the construction of a huge new cathedral on the site of the ancient basilica, which was supposed to eclipse both the pagan temples and the existing Christian churches, thereby helping to strengthen the papal state and spread the influence of Catholicism.

Almost all the major architects of Italy took turns participating in the design and construction of St. Peter's Basilica. In 1506, the architect's project was approved Donato Bramante, according to which they began to build a centric structure in the shape of a Greek cross (with equal sides).

After Bramante's death, he headed the construction Raphael, returning to the traditional form of the Latin cross (with an elongated fourth side), then Baldassare Peruzzi, stopped at a centric structure, and Antonio da Sangallo, who chose the basil form.

Finally, in 1546, the management of the work was entrusted to Michelangelo. He returned to the idea of ​​a central-domed structure, but his project included the creation of a multi-columned entrance portico on the eastern side (in the most ancient basilicas of Rome, as in ancient temples, the entrance was on the eastern, not the western side). Michelangelo made all the supporting structures more massive and highlighted the main space. He erected the drum of the central dome, but the dome itself was completed after his death (1564) Giacomo della Porta, giving it a more elongated outline.

Of the four small domes envisioned by Michelangelo, the architect Vignola erected only two. To the greatest extent, the architectural forms exactly as they were conceived by Michelangelo have been preserved on the altar, western side.

But the story didn't end there. IN early XVII V. architect by order of Paul V Carlo Maderno extended the eastern branch of the cross - added a three-nave basilica part to the centric building, thus returning to the shape of the Latin cross, and built a facade.

As a result, the dome turned out to be hidden by the facade, lost its dominant significance and is perceived only from a distance, from Via della Concigliazione. Finally, November 18, 1626, on the 1300th anniversary of the first basilica, Pope Urban VIII consecrated the new cathedral.

A square was needed that could accommodate the large number of believers who flocked to the cathedral to receive papal blessings or take part in religious celebrations. Completed this task Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, who created in 1656-1667. The square in front of the cathedral is one of the most outstanding works of world urban planning practice.

Height of the façade built architect Maderno, 45 m, width - 115 m. The attic of the façade is crowned by huge, tall 5.65 m, statues of Christ, John the Baptist and the eleven apostles (except the Apostle Peter). The inscription on the facade: "IN HONOREM PRINCIPIS APOST PAVLVS V BVRGHESIVS ROMANVS PONT MAX AN MDCXII PONT VII" (Pope Paul V Borghese, Roman Pontiff in the year 1612, the seventh year of his pontificate, erected in honor of the Prince of the Apostles).

From the portico, five portals lead to the cathedral. The doors of the central portal were made in the middle of the 15th century. and come from the old basilica. The middle of the nine balconies on the façade is called the Loggia of the Blessing. It is from here that the Pope addresses the numerous believers gathering in St. Peter's Square with a blessing "Urbi et Orbi" - "To the City and the World".

On the plan of the cathedral the numbers indicate:

1.Mosaic by Giotto “Navicella”.

2. Portico.
3.Equestrian statue of Charlemagne.
4.Gate of death.
5.The Gates of Good and Evil.
6. Filaret's door.
7. Door of Mysteries.
8.Holy door.
9. Inner courtyard of St. Gregory the Illuminator (elevator for the dome).
10.Equestrian statue of Constantine the Great.
11. Nave
12.Baptistery (baptismal font made from a sarcophagus).
13.Monument to Maria Sobieska.
14.Tomb of the Stuarts.
15.Tombstone of Pope Benedict XV.
16.Capella della Presentatione (gifts).
17.Tombstone of Pope John XXIII.
18.Tombstone of Pope Pius X.
19.Tombstone of Pope Innocent VIII.
20. Corot Chapel (choir chapel).
21.Altar of the Immaculate Conception.
22.Tombstone of Pope Leo XI (
23.Tombstone of Pope Innocent XI
24.Altar “Transfiguration” (last painting by Raphael).
25.Clementine Chapel.
26.Altar of Pope Pius VII.
27.Altar of Pope Gregory the Great.
28.Entrance in the sacristy.
29.Tombstone of Pope Pius VII.
30.Altar of Lies.
31.Figure of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called (old entrance to the grottoes).
32.Bronze statue of St. Peter (
33. Figure of the centurion Longinus (old entrance to the grottoes).
34.Figure of the Holy Queen Helen Equal to the Apostles.
35.Figure of St. Veronica.
36.Canopy(
37. "Confessional" (tomb of St. Peter).
38.Dome.
39.Left transpet (mass is celebrated here daily).
40.Altar of the Crucifixion of St. Peter.
41.Altar of St. Joseph.
42.Altar of St. Thomas.
43.Tombstone of Pope Alexander VII.
44.Altar of the Sacred Heart.
45.Capella Column.
46.Altar of Our Lady Column.
47.Bas-relief(
48.Tombstone of Pope Alexander VIII
49.Altar of St. Peter healing the lame.
50.Tribune-Altar of the department.
51.Tombstone of Pope Paul III(
52.Cathedra of St. Peter.
53.Tombstone of Pope Urban VIII (
54.Tombstone of Pope Clement X (
55.Altar of St. Peter raising Tabitha.
56.Altar of St. Petronilla.
57.Chapel of the Archangel Michael.
58.Altar Navicella
59.Tombstone of Pope Clement XIII(
60.Right Transept.
61.Altar of St. Erasmus.
62.Altar of Saints and Venerable Martinian.
63.Altar of St. Wenceslas.
64.Altar of St. Basil.
65.Tombstone of Pope Benedict XIV
66.Altar of St. Jerome (Body of Pope John XXIII).
67. Chapel of San Gregorio.
68.Icon “Madonna del Socorso”.
69.Tombstone of Pope Gregory XVI.
70.Tombstone of Pope Gregory XIV.
71.Tombstone of Pope Gregory XIII.
72.Chapel of the Holy Sacraments (only for worshipers).
73.Tombstone of Matilda of Tuscany(
74.Tombstone of Pope Innocent XII.
75.Tombstone of Pope Pius XII.
76. Chapel of San Sebastiano (Tombstone of the new Blessed John Paul II).
77.Tombstone of Pope Pius XI.
78.Tombstone of Queen Christina of Sweden.
79.Tombstone of Pope Leo XII.
80. “Pieta” (sculptor Michelangelo)

Mosaic by Giotto "Navicella".(1 on the cathedral plan)

Enter the portico opposite the central portal, face the square and look up. In the lunette above the entrance there is a famous mosaic Giotto“Navicella” (Italian shuttle), created in 1310 by Giotto di Bondone or simply Giotto (1267-1337) - Italian artist and architect of the Proto-Renaissance. One of the key figures in the history of Western art.

Having overcome the Byzantine icon painting tradition, he became the true founder of the Italian school of painting and developed a completely new approach to depicting space. Giotto's works were inspired by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo.

Presumably in 1300 Giotto was in Rome, where, under the guarantee of Cardinal Jacopo Stefaneschi, a monumental monument was created Navicella mosaic, a work that glorified the creator throughout Italy. The mosaic was located in the atrium of St. Peter's Church (IV century). Now this artist’s creation dates back to 1310.

The chronicler Filippo Villani spoke of Giotto's great talent and referred to this work in confirmation of this. Giotto knew how to paint a person as if “he was breathing, talking, crying or rejoicing.”

The theme of the mosaic composition - the Miracle on Lake Henicapet - symbolically illustrates the mercy of Christ to the people. Jesus saves the boat with the apostles caught in a storm and the drowning Peter.

The plot also symbolizes the very salvation of the Church from all possible misfortunes. Unfortunately, this creation was lost during the destruction of the old building; only a copy of the Baroque mosaic was preserved in the portico of the new church. The true form of the work can only be guessed from the sketches of artists of the 14th-15th centuries. and the surviving original mosaic frame.

Portico of the Cathedral.(2 on the cathedral plan)




Equestrian statue of Charlemagne(3 on the cathedral plan) , the first to be crowned in the cathedral in 800,

Gate of Death. (4 on the cathedral plan)

Gate of Death so named because funeral processions usually exited through these doors.

In preparation for the 1950 anniversary, Pope Pius XII announced a competition in 1947 to create three doors leading from the portico to the cathedral. The most outstanding artist among the winners was Giacomo Manzu. The door was made in 1961-64. 10 scenes on the doors express the Christian meaning of death. At the top right is the crucifixion of the Savior, on the left is the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. Below are reliefs with a bunch of grapes and a sheaf of ears of grain, which simultaneously serve as door handles. When grapes and wheat die, they turn into wine and bread.

During the sacrament of the Eucharist, they are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, that is, into the bread of life and the wine of salvation. Below on the right are depicted: the death of the first martyr St. Stephen; the death of Pope Gregory VII, defending the Church from the claims of the emperor; death in space; death of mother at home in front of crying child. Below on the left are the murder of Abel, the peaceful death of Joseph, the crucifixion of St. Peter and the death of the “good pope” John XXIII.

Gates of Good and Evil. (5 on the cathedral plan)

"Gates of Good and Evil" 1975/77 Luciano Minguzzi (1911/2004), on the occasion of the eightieth birthday of Pope Paul VI. Evil is represented by a picture of martyrs during the 1943 partisan massacre at Casalecchio on the Rhine.

Filaret's door. (6 on the cathedral plan)

The huge bronze doors of the central entrance were made by the Florentine master Antonio Averuline, known as Filaret (1445). At the top of the doors there are large figures of the Savior and the Mother of God sitting on the throne. In the center are the apostles Peter and Paul. The two lower marks depict scenes of the trial of Nero and the subsequent execution of the apostles: the beheading of St. Paul and the crucifixion of St. Peter.

The doors are framed by numerous scenes on the themes of ancient myths (Leda and the Swan, Romulus and Remus, the abduction of the Sabine women) and Aesop's fables ("The Wolf and the Lamb", "The Fox and the Crane", "The Crow and the Fox"), intricate floral ornament, as well as portraits of emperors and other prominent people of that time. The door was also the main door of the old basilica.

Above the doors is a marble bas-relief by Bernini “Jesus Entrusting Peter with the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

On the inside of the doors you can see the mark of the master who made them, depicting himself riding a donkey at the head of a procession of assistants, each following him with his own tool (hammer, chisel, compass, etc.).

Door of Mysteries. (7 on the cathedral plan)

"Door of Mysteries" 1965 - Venantius Crocetti (1913/2003), commissioned by Pope Paul VI Montini (1963/78), on the occasion of the reopening of the Second Vatican Council.

Holy door. (8 on the cathedral plan)

From inside the cathedral Holy door walled up with concrete, on the concrete there is a bronze cross and a small square box in which the key to the door is stored.

Every 25 years, on Christmas Eve (December 25), the concrete is broken before the anniversary year. In accordance with a special ritual, after three kneelings and three blows of the hammer, the Holy Door swings open and the pope, taking the cross in his hands, is the first to enter the cathedral.

At the end of the Jubilee Year, the door is closed again and sealed for the next 25 years.

Equestrian statue of Constantine the Great. (10 on the cathedral plan)

Equestrian statue of the emperor Constantine the Great, one of the masterpieces Bernini.

It was ordered by Pope Innocent X in 1654, but the order was completed only in 1670 under Pope Clement X, who ordered the statue to be placed near the stairs leading to the Vatican Palace.

Eusebius, a contemporary of the event, who heard about it personally from Constantine the Great, narrates: “One afternoon, when the sun began to lean toward the west,” the king said, “I saw with my own eyes the sign of the cross made of light and lying in the sun with the inscription: “ win this." This sight struck with horror both the king himself and the army around him, for the cross, as a shameful instrument of execution, was considered a bad omen by the pagans. Konstantin was at a loss and said to himself: what does such a phenomenon mean? But while he was thinking, night fell. Then Christ appeared to him in a dream with a sign seen in heaven and commanded him to make a banner similar to the one seen in heaven and use it for protection when attacked by enemies.

Stucco (artificial marble) imitates damask fabric. Despite the theatricality, the fluttering folds of fabric emphasize the swiftness of the horse’s movement, and the emperor’s rush into battle and his amazement look quite realistic. Constantine, together with Charles, are considered guardians, secular defenders of the Church.

Nave. (11 on the cathedral plan)

Total length of the basilica 211.6 m. On the floor of the central nave there are marks showing the dimensions of the other 28 largest cathedrals in the world, which allows them to be compared with the largest Cathedral of St. Petra - (2) St. Paul's Cathedral Londra, (3) S. Maria del Fiore Firenze, (4) Basilica del Sacro Cuore Bruxelles, (5) Immacolata Concezione Washington, (6) Cattedrale Reims, (7) Cattedrale Colonia , (8) Duomo Milano, (9)Cattedrale Spira, (10) Basilica di S. Petronio Bologna, (11)Cattedrale Siviglia, (12)Notre Dame Parigi, (13)S.Paolo Fuori le Mura Roma,... (25) Westminster Abbey Londra, (26) Santa Sofia Istambul, (27) Cattedrale di S. Croce Boston, (28) Basilica di S. Maria Danzica e (29) Cattedrale di S. Patrizio New York.

Baptistery (baptistery - font made from a sarcophagus).(12 on the cathedral plan)

A red Egyptian porphyry sarcophagus, possibly of Emperor Hadrian, was then used as the tomb of Emperor Otto II and was placed here in 1695 under the direction of Carlo Fontana (1634-1714). The gilded bronze sarcophagus lid is the work of Lorenzo Ottoni (1648-1736).

Monument to Maria Klementina Sobieska.(13 on the cathedral plan)

Maria Clementina was considered one of the richest heiresses in Europe. King George I of England was opposed to the planned marriage of Mary Clementine and James Stuart, who laid claim to the English throne and had the opportunity to have legal heirs.

Emperor Charles VI, acting in the interests of English king, arrested Maria Clementine, who was heading to Italy to marry James Stuart. She was imprisoned in Innsbruck Castle, she managed to escape from there to Bologna, where, by proxy, she married James Stewart, who was in Spain at that time.

Maria Clementine's father, Jacob Sobieski, welcomed the news of her escape, declaring that since she was engaged to James Stewart, she should follow him. Maria Clementine and James Stuart formally became spouses on September 3, 1719 in the chapel of the bishop's palace in Montefiascone.

At the invitation of Pope Clement XI, who recognized them as king and queen of England, Scotland and Ireland, James and Mary Clementine settled in Rome. The Pope provided them with security, allocated Palazzo Muti in Rome's Piazza di Santi Apostoli and a country villa in Albano for their residence. Every year, the spouses were paid an allowance of 12,000 crowns from the papal treasury.

Pope Clement XI and his successor Innocent XIII considered the Catholics James and Mary Clementine to be the rightful king and queen of England.

The life together of James and Maria Clementine was short-lived. Shortly after the birth of their second child, Maria Clementine left her husband and retired to the Roman convent of St. Cecilia. The reason for the breakup, according to her, was her husband’s infidelity. James insisted on his wife's return, arguing that it would be sinful to leave him and their children. However, two years later the couple divorced. Maria Clementina died on January 18, 1735.

She was buried by order of Pope Clement XII with royal honors in St. Peter's Basilica. Pope Benedict XIV commissioned the sculptor Pietro Bracci (1700-1773) to create a tombstone for Maria Clementina.

Stuart burial vault.(14 on the cathedral plan)

Not far from the entrance you can see the creation sculptor Canova- tombstone of the last representatives of the Scottish Royal Stuart family (1817-1819). The tombstone was made at the expense of the English King George III. The exiled British Catholic aristocrat James Francis Edward Stuart and his two sons, Charles Edward Stuart and Henry Benedict Stuart, are buried here. The grave itself is located in the Vatican grottoes.

Tombstone of Pope Innocent VIII.(19 on the cathedral plan)

Of great interest is the creation created in 1498 by the sculptor Antonio Pollaiolo The tombstone of Innocent VIII is one of the few surviving monuments that were still in the old basilica. In his left hand, the pope holds the tip of the Holy spear, with which the centurion Longinus pierced the crucified Christ to ensure his death.

Altarpiece "Transfiguration" (last painting by Raphael 1518-1520)(24 on the cathedral plan)

Shortly before his suffering and death on the cross, Jesus Christ told the apostles that among them there are those who, before death, will see the Kingdom of God come in power.

A few days later, three of them: Peter, James and John, He elevated to high mountain There, too, during prayer, Favor was transformed before them. “His clothes became shining, very white, like snow, as a whitener on earth cannot bleach. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and talked with Jesus."

This is how Evangelist Mark describes this event. The meaning of the Transfiguration of the Lord for the apostles was that when they saw Jesus crucified, they would not doubt his teaching, but would see the voluntary suffering and death of God for people. And they preached to the world that the Lord Jesus Christ is the true Son of God.

The celebration of this gospel event by the Church coincides with the harvest, so on this day it is customary to consecrate various earthly fruits and thank God for them.

Cardinal Giuliano di Medici, the future Pope Clement VII, commissioned this painting in 1517 from Raphael for the French cathedral in the city of Narbonne - the cardinal's see. The painting was completed by Raphael's students, Giuliano Romano and Francesco Penni, after Raphael's death.

Vasari wrote that the unfinished painting was displayed near the head of Raphael's deathbed, breaking the hearts of everyone who saw it. The painting remained in Rome in the Palazzo Cancelleria, and was then placed in the church of San Pietro in Montorio after 1523. In 1797, Napoleon took it to Paris, the painting was returned back in 1815.

The female figure below symbolizes the Church, giving peace, hope and faith.

The film combines two plots - the transfiguration of Christ and the episode about the meeting of the apostles with a demon-possessed boy who was healed by Jesus Christ, who descended from Mount Tabor. The painting itself is now in Pinakothek Vatican, and in the cathedral there is a mosaic copy of it.

Dome. (38 on the cathedral plan)

The dome, a masterpiece of architecture, has a height inside 119 m and diameter 42 m. In Rome it is called "cupollone" ("dome").

Along the frieze of the dome and further along the frieze of the entire church there is a mosaic inscription in Greek and Latin (“Tu es Petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam mean et tibi dabo claves regni caelorum” Matthew 16:18) with the words of Christ: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

The dome is divided into 16 sectors and 6 horizontal tiers. At the very bottom are the 16 popes buried in the cathedral. The next tier depicts Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the apostles.

In rectangular frames, angels are depicted holding the instruments of the Lord's passion. In round medallions there are cherubs and seraphim. Next are the angels guarding the tomb of St. Peter and the winged angels.

The inner surface of the dome is decorated with images of the four evangelists: Matthew- with an angel guiding his hand while writing the Gospel, Mark- with a lion, Luke- with an ox, John- with an eagle. The lion, eagle and ox are the so-called “apocalyptic beasts”, which St. John the Theologian writes about in his “Apocalypse” as animals that surrounded the throne of God.

St. Matthew, 1599, Cesare Nebbia

St. Luke, 1599, Giovanni De Vecchi

In 1624, Pope Urban VIII ordered Lorenzo Bernini to create 4 loggias in the Cathedral under the dome to store relics. Bernini's role in the creation of the sculptural decoration of the cathedral is very great; he worked here intermittently for almost fifty years, from 1620 to 1670. Below the loggias, in the niches of the pillars, there are huge statues corresponding to the relics kept in the loggias. Currently, some of these relics are located in other places.

Statue of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called.(31 on the cathedral plan)

The relic was brought to Venice by Thomas Palaiolagos, the last ruler of Morea, fleeing the Turkish invasion of the Peloponnese, and presented to Pius II (1460). As a sign of friendship with the Greek Orthodox Church, in 1966 Pope Paul VI presented the relic as a gift to the Church of St. Andrew in the city of Patras, where the saint died.

Statue of St. Longinus.(33 on the cathedral plan)

Like his predecessors, Pope Innocent VIII tried to stop the Turkish invasion, but he succeeded without crusade which he planned to do. Pierre d "Aubusson captured Djem, the brother and rival of Sultan Bayezid II. The Sultan and the pope entered into an agreement in 1489, according to which Djem was held captive in Rome, and the Sultan left Europe and paid a ransom every year. In 1492, Bayezid gave the pope a fragment of a spear, which was believed to have belonged to the centurion Longinus (material from http://saintpetersbasilica.org/)

During the execution of Jesus on Golgotha, the guard was carried out by soldiers from the detachment of the centurion Longinus. Longinus and his subordinates witnessed the last minutes of the Lord's life. They were in awe of a sudden eclipse of the sun and an earthquake in which the stones fell into pieces. Horror gripped many soldiers who had seen it in their lifetime when they saw the opened graves and the dead rising from them.

According to custom, to ensure the death of the crucified man, Longinus pierced the Lord with a spear, and the blood of the Savior splashed onto his face. The Roman centurion suffered from an eye disease, and as soon as the divine blood touched them, he received healing. Everything that happened so shocked Longinus and his two friends that, looking at the Lord nailed to the cross, they publicly confessed Him as the Son of God.

After the burial of the Lord, Longinus and his men were assigned to guard the cave with the body of Jesus in order to prevent a possible attempt to kidnap him. Here he became an eyewitness to the appearance of an angel who announced to the myrrh-bearing women about the resurrection of the Son of God. The new miracle touched Longinus to the depths of his soul. He reported everything that happened to Pontius Pilate.

The procurator, who against his will, to please the Jews, gave Jesus of Nazareth to execution, was puzzled by the centurion’s story. He remembered that on the eve of the trial of Jesus, his wife Claudia had a prophetic dream, and she asked not to harm the Nazarene.

Apparently, it was in vain that he did not listen to her. Longinus reported the resurrection of the Lord to the Sanhedrin. The members of the Great Council did not believe him and decided to bribe the soldiers. They were given a significant sum for agreeing to make a statement that the body of Jesus was stolen by His disciples. Longinus, however, rejected the bribe and did not want to remain silent about the resurrection of the Lord.

Having believed in the Savior, he began to openly testify to events in which he himself was a participant. The Jewish elders soon learned about his preaching, and they immediately realized how dangerous the centurion’s public statements were for them that Jesus was the true Son of God.

With his speeches, as a neutral witness, he made the preaching of Christ’s disciples even more convincing. The high priests and elders were indignant, but with their power they could not prohibit the Roman officer from saying what he wanted.

Only Pilate, with whom the Jewish leaders did not have a good relationship, could influence him. Nevertheless, they bowed down, since Longinus, despite the warnings, did not stop preaching. When the Sanhedrin turned to Pilate with a request to reason with the officer, the procurator again felt pressure from the Jewish elders.

First, the Jews forced him to give the order to crucify Jesus, Who was accused of proclaiming Himself king and of rebellion against the emperor, now they demand the punishment of the centurion, who took the side of the rebel. In both cases, their requests contained a hidden threat to inform the emperor that Pilate was patronizing state criminals. But complicity in high treason is a serious charge, of which one may not be justified.

The procurator spoke with the officer, trying to persuade him to compromise with the Jews. But for Longinus, the truth turned out to be more valuable than the favor of his superiors. Having received a refusal, Pilate became embittered, but did not openly oppress his subordinate, who was an honored veteran, a valiant and honest man, moreover, known to the emperor himself.

However, Longinus soon learned from friends that both the procurator and noble Jews were looking for a reason to reprisal him, and he was killed for his faith in Caesarea Cappadocia in 58, where, according to other evidence, he was from.

Statue of St. Queen Helen Equal to the Apostles.(34 on the cathedral plan)

Compared to Bernini's works, this statue looks more static. Many fragments of the Holy Cross kept in the cathedral were donated to other churches. Therefore, Pope Urban VIII decided the particles were kept in the Church of St. Anastasia and the Cathedral of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Italian: Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, which means “Holy Cross in Jerusalem” - one of the seven pilgrimage churches of Rome, located south of the Lateran ), move to St. Peter's Cathedral.

Holy Queen Equal to the Apostles Helena, Flavia Julia Helena Augusta (lat. Flavia Iulia Helena, c. 250 - 330) - mother of the Roman emperor Constantine I. She became famous for her activities in spreading Christianity and her excavations in Jerusalem, during which the Life-Giving Cross and others were discovered relics of the Passion.

For her work in spreading Christianity, Elena was canonized as an Equal-to-the-Apostles honor, which was awarded to only 5 other women in Christian history (Mary Magdalene, First Martyr Thekla, Martyr Apphia, Princess Olga and the enlightener of Georgia Nina). In the East, the veneration of Helen as a saint arose soon after her death; at the beginning of the 9th century, her cult spread to the Western Church.

The memory of Saint Helena is celebrated: in the Orthodox Church - March 6 (memory of Helen's finding Life-giving Cross and nails) and May 21 (dates according to the Julian calendar);

Statue of St. Veronica.(35 on the cathedral plan)

With the image of Jesus Christ. St. Veronica, in Christian tradition, is a pious Jewish woman who accompanied Christ on his way to Calvary and gave him, who was exhausted under the weight of the cross he carried on his shoulders, a linen handkerchief so that he could wipe the blood and sweat from his face. The face of Jesus was imprinted on the handkerchief. . The "Plate of Veronica", considered authentic, is kept in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

a number of legends designed to give the image of St. Veronica historical features. According to one legend, she subsequently preached Christianity in the south of Gaul. In other legends, she is called a Greek princess or identified with Martha, the sister of Lazarus.

In Italy there was a legend according to which she healed Emperor Tiberius with the help of her in a miraculous way Savior. It is believed that the name Veronica is a corruption of Lat. vera icon (“true image”) - this is what they called the “Veronica board”, distinguishing it from other images of Christ.

The story of St. Veronica first appears in the apocryphal Acts of Pilate, dating back to the 4th or 5th century. Veronica's act of mercy is remembered during the sixth station of the Stations of the Cross. Memory is accomplished in Orthodox Church July 12 (Julian calendar), at Catholic Church February 4.

Bronze statue of St. Peter. (32 on the cathedral plan)

At the end of the central nave, at the last pillar on the right next to the statue of St. Longinus, there is a statue of St. Peter, 13th century, attributed to Arnolfo di Cambio. The statue is credited with miraculous properties, and numerous pilgrims reverently place their hands on the bronze legs.

In his left hand, St. Apostle Peter holds the keys to heaven. The wall behind the statue is decorated with mosaics rather than fabric. St. Peter led the church for 25 years. For 19 centuries, the only pope who sat on the throne of Peter longer (1847-1878) than Peter himself was Pope Pius IX. His portrait is placed on the wall above the statue of the apostle. The alabaster pedestal was made in 1757 by Carlo Marchionni. The marble chair dates back to the early Renaissance.

On June 29, on the day of remembrance of the apostle, his statue is dressed in clothes, so that it seems that the statue comes to life.

Canopy ((36 on the cathedral plan)

In the dome space above the main altar there is a work by Bernini in the cathedral (1633) - a huge, 29 m high canopy (ciborium) on four twisted columns on which stand statues of angels, by Francois du Duquesnoy. Between these angels, one pair of angels holds the symbols of the pope - keys and tiara, the other pair of angels holds the symbols of St. Paul - a book and a sword. Unusual shape The column repeats the silhouette of a twisted column from the Temple of Solomon, brought to Rome after the capture of Jerusalem.

Among the laurel branches on upper parts The columns display the heraldic bees of the Barberini family. The ciborium required a huge amount of bronze. 100,000 pounds (37 or 45 tons, it all depends on which pound was used for measurements) was removed from the dome of the old cathedral, then the same amount was sent from Venice and Livorno. When this was not enough, by order of Pope Urban VIII (Barberini), the structures that supported the roof of the portico and the bronze bas-relief from the pediment were dismantled.

That's when Pasquino said his catchphrase: “Quod non fecerunt Barbari fecerunt Barberini” (what the barbarians did not destroy, Barberini destroyed). Although the canopy does not look particularly large in the interior of the cathedral, it is equal in height to a 4-story building. Bernini's masterpiece became the personification of the Baroque style.

The main altar is called the papal altar because only the Pope can celebrate Mass in front of it. The altar was consecrated by Pope Clement VIII on June 5, 1594. The altar was made of a large piece of marble brought from the forum of Emperor Nerva.

"Confessional" (tomb of St. Peter). (37 on the plan of the cathedral)

In front of the altar there is a staircase leading down to the tomb of St. Peter. This descent is called Confessio (confession box), because it can be considered as a cut-out window in the confessional box, through which believers could turn their gaze to the shrine, hidden deep underground, where part of the relics of St. Peter is kept.

Alexander's tombstone VII works Bernini, 1678 (43 on the plan of the cathedral)

The last masterpiece of 80-year-old Bernini. The Pope is depicted kneeling surrounded by allegories of Mercy (with children, sculptor G. Mazzuoli), Truth (resting his left foot on the globe, sculptors Morelli and Cartari), Prudence (sculptor G. Cartari), and Justice (sculptor L. Balestri). Initially the figures were naked, but by order of Innocent XI, Bernini draped them.

The pontiff’s prayer is not disturbed even by the sudden appearance of Death, lifting the heavy canopy. The truth has set its foot on England, which symbolizes the pope's futile attempts to stop the spread of Anglicanism there.

Tombstone of Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese). (51 on the cathedral plan)

They say that the allegories of Justice and Prudence are like Dad's sister and mom. When creating the tombstone, della Porta may have used a sketch by Michelangelo, and the work on creating the tombstone itself most likely was carried out under the supervision of Michelangelo. Bernini moved the tombstone in the central apse of the cathedral in 1628.

This sculptural composition is one of the most beautiful due to its harmony and restraint. The Statue of Justice was originally naked, but in 1595 Cardinal Farnese ordered a cape for it. Prudence remained naked to the waist. The mirror is in the hand of Prudence.

The central apse also contains a design by Bernini Chair of St. Peter (1666). (52 on the cathedral plan)

Under Pope Alexander VII, the Chair of the Apostle Peter (1657-1665) was established, revered as the throne of St. Peter. Bernini decorated the throne with a magnificent bronze throne, which was carried by figures of two human heights, depicting the four Fathers of the Church. (Ambrose and Augustine as representatives of the Roman Church, Athanasius and John Chrysostom - the Greek)

From above, the throne was immersed in a sparkling golden light pouring from an oval glass window depicting a dove - a symbol of the Holy Spirit - the divine source of papal infallibility. Golden rays extend from the image of a dove in all directions and pierce the swelling clouds populated by angels.

Tombstone of Pope Urban VIII. (53 on the cathedral plan)

The coat of arms with the Barberini bees can be seen throughout the cathedral.

It was this pope who forced Galileo to renounce the teachings of Copernicus, although Urban was a personal friend of Galileo, but the political situation of that time forced him to do so. By his bull of April 22, 1639, the pope prohibited slavery in any form of Indians in Brazil, Paraguay and throughout the West Indies.

The composition of the tombstone is reminiscent of the tombstone of Pope Paul III, but is more harmonious. The magnificent figures of Mercy and Justice in white marble form a transition from the observer to the statue of the Pope, raising his hand in blessing and attracting the viewer's full attention.

Altar of St. Jerome. (66 on the cathedral plan)

Altarpiece "Last Communion of St. Jerome" by the artist Domenichino, 1614. Translated into mosaic in 1744. The famous painting is now kept in Pinakothek Vatican. The painting depicts St. Jerome receiving last communion from St. Ephraim, who is helped by St. Paula.

Under the altar stands a sarcophagus containing the embalmed body of Pope John XXIII. Blessed John XXIII, Pope since 1958. Vatican diplomat, served as papal nuncio (envoy) to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and France. Having ascended the papal throne, he advocated peace and peaceful coexistence of states with different social systems. He sought to modernize the Catholic Church in connection with changing conditions in the world. In 1962 he convened the Second Vatican Council.

The pontificate of John XXIII, which lasted less than 5 years, defined a new course of Vatican policy, which corresponded to new realities and was designed to establish a dialogue between different countries and confessions, as well as improve the social position of believers in different regions peace. Most researchers call Pope John XXIII's policies aimed at protecting the world's poorest people an example of the affirmation of the principles of Christian socialism that developed in papal encyclicals.

Dad's activities were not properly appreciated in his inner circle. Opponents of the course of John XXIII called him the “red pope,” while supporters called him “the pope of the world.” The Pope was not destined to carry out the program of “renewal” of the Church adopted by the Second Vatican Council. He died on June 3, 1963 from stomach cancer, refusing surgery.

As it recently turned out, the body of the holy father was embalmed immediately after death by Gennaro Goglia, an assistant at the Institute of Anatomy of the Faculty of Medicine of the Catholic University of the Heart of Jesus, so when exhumed on January 16, 2001, it was found completely incorrupt.

The bas-relief recalls the reform carried out by the pope - the introduction of a new calendar (Gregorian). October 4, 1582 was followed by October 15. October 4 is the day of remembrance of St. Francis, which in no case should have been missed.

The pope is depicted with eminent astronomers and mathematicians, including Jesuit Priest Ignatius Danti, Father Clavius ​​of Bamberg, and Antonio Lilio of Calabria. The dragon below is the heraldic animal of the Boncompagni family. Pope Clement XI, persuaded by Candinal Buoncompagni ( cousin Gregory), ordered this new tombstone.

Chapel of the Holy Sacraments. (72 on the cathedral plan)

Next to the tombstone of Gregory XIII, there is a small chapel of the Holy Sacraments.

The forged lattice of the chapel is made according to a Borromini drawing. The entrance to the chapel is closed to tourists. You can only come here for prayers.

Magnificent tabernacle by Bernini (1674), gilded bronze. The central part of the tabernacle is made in the form of a chapel - the Tempietto rotunda by the architect Bramante (1502), located in the courtyard of the monastery of San Pietro in Montorio on the Janiculian Hill (eighth hill) in Rome.

The altarpiece - "Trinity of the New Testament" - is the only oil painting in the cathedral, the artist is Pietro da Cortona.

Tombstone of Matilda of Tuscany.(73 on the plan of the cathedral)

Behind the tombstone of Gregory XIII is the tombstone of the Margravess Matilda of Canossa by Bernini with his students; this was the first woman to have the honor of being buried in this cathedral. (In 1077 in Canossa, in the castle of the Margravine Matilda, the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV, who had been excommunicated and deposed, humbly begged forgiveness from Pope Gregory VII.)

Pope Urban VIII ordered this tombstone at the end of 1633. He wanted to honor the memory of this outstanding woman. On March 10, 1634, her body was transported from Mantua to the cathedral, where the tombstone was already ready. The bas-relief by Stefano Speranza depicts Henry IV kneeling before Gregory VII on January 28, 1077. At the top of the arch, Matteo Bonarelli, Andrea Bolgi and Lorenzo Flori sculpted putti holding a crown, coat of arms and the motto: TUETUR ET UNIT (I protect and unite).

Matilda of Tuscany (Italian: Matilde, Latin: Mathilde) (1046 - July 24, 1115) - Margravess of Tuscany, also called the Great Countess in history. She was a supporter of Pope Gregory VII during the struggle for investiture. One of the few medieval women who carried out military operations. Her father Boniface III of Tuscany was the ruler of most of the lands of Northern Italy, including Ferrara, Modena, Mantua, Brescia, Reggio Emilia, and had the title "Marquis of Tuscany".

In 1070, for political reasons, she entered into a secret marriage with Godfrey the Hunchback, Duke of Lorraine, who died in 1076. In her castle of Canossa, Gregory VII took refuge from Henry IV, who in 1077 came to him there for repentance. When Henry attacked Gregory in 1081, Matilda prevented the latter's complete defeat, and after Gregory's death she continued to quarrel with Henry.

In 1089, she agreed, at the request of Pope Urban II, to enter into a second secret marriage with the 18-year-old enemy of Henry IV, Welf V, the son of the Bavarian Duke; this marriage, however, was dissolved a few years later. Matilda later supported the rebellions of Conrad and Henry V against their father. Matilda appointed the Roman Church as the heir to her fief lands and estates.

Chapel of San Sebastiano. (76 on the plan of the cathedral)

Mosaic "The Death of Saint Sebastiano" from the original, 1614, by the artist Domenichino, kept in the Vatican Pinacoteca.

The tombstone of Pope Innocent XI was kept under the altar until May 2011, and in April 2011 the body of Pope Innocent XI was transferred to the Clementine Chapel. On April 29, 2011, the body of Pope John Paul II was exhumed and placed in front of the main altar of the Cathedral of St. Peter, and after beatification he was reburied in a new tomb under the altar of the Chapel of San Sebastiano. The marble slab that covered the pontiff's former grave was sent to his homeland - Poland.

Beatification of John Paul II.

In the Latin tradition, since the establishment of Pope Urban VIII in 1642, it has been customary to distinguish between the process of beatification (beatification) and sainthood (canonization).

Later, under Pope Benedict XIV, the requirements that a candidate must meet were established: his writings must be in accordance with the teachings of the Church, the virtues he has demonstrated must be exceptional, and the facts of a miracle performed through his intercession must be confirmed by documents or testimony.

For canonization, at least two miracles are required, through the intercession of the deceased. Issues of glorification are dealt with by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, which studies the submitted materials and sends them, in case of a positive preliminary conclusion, for approval by the pope, after which an icon of the newly glorified is opened in St. Peter's Basilica.

John Paul II himself canonized more people as saints and beatifieds than all his predecessors after the 16th century. From 1594 (after the adoption by Sixtus V in 1588 of the apostolic constitution Immensa Aeterni Dei, which concerned, in particular, issues of canonization) to 2004, 784 canonizations were made, of which 475 were made during the pontificate of John Paul II. John Paul II beatified 1,338 people.

Pope Benedict XVI has begun the process of beatifying his predecessor, John Paul II. Benedict XVI announced this at a meeting of priests in the Basilica of St. John in the Lateran in Rome. A prerequisite for beatification is the performance of a miracle. It is believed that John Paul II healed the French nun Marie Simon-Pierre of Parkinson's disease several years ago. On May 1, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI beatified John Paul II.

Canonization of John Paul II.

The canonization procedure for the 264th Pope will take place on April 27, 2014. This decision was made as a result of the cardinal consistory held by Pope Francis on September 30, 2013. On July 3, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints of the Holy See made a statement that the second miracle required for canonization, assisted by the pontiff, occurred on May 1, 2011.

Official character comments miraculous phenomenon The Vatican hasn't done it yet. But there is already information that a miracle happened in Costa Rica to a sick woman who was healed of a severe brain disease thanks to the prayers of the late John Paul II. The decision on canonization has already been made by the current head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis.

Tombstone Queen Christina of Sweden.(78 on the cathedral plan)

Author - Carlo Fontana, 1670 Christina (1626-1689) - Queen of Sweden, daughter of Gustav II Adolf and Maria Eleanor of Brandenburg. One of three women buried in St. Peter's Basilica. In Brussels on Christmas Day 1654, she converted to Catholicism. Christina's conversion to Catholicism caused a sensation throughout the Protestant world. From Brussels, Christina went to Italy. On November 3, 1655, in Innsbruck, she officially renounced the Protestant Church.

"Pieta" (sculptor Michelangelo). (80 on the cathedral plan)

The most famous sculpture on a religious subject. Most Outstanding work of art from those in the cathedral. Michelangelo created it from one block of Carrara marble when he was not yet 25 years old.

The order for the sculptural group was received on August 26, 1498 from Cardinal Jean Bilheres de Lagraulas, ambassador French king; the work was completed around 1500 after the death of the cardinal, who died in 1498. The sculpture was intended for the tombstone of the cardinal. The pedestal was made by Francesco Borromini in 1626.

This is the only work by the sculptor that he signed (according to Vasari, after overhearing a conversation between onlookers who argued about its authorship). Copies of the Pietà can be seen in many Catholic churches all over the world, from Mexico to Korea.

"Pieta"- one of the works in which art historians see the divide between the Quattrocento and the High Renaissance. The Italian master reinterpreted the traditional Northern Gothic sculptural image of the lifeless Christ in the arms of his mother in the spirit of high humanism. Madonna is presented by him as a very young and beautiful woman who mourns the loss of the person closest to her.

Despite the difficulty of combining two such large figures in one sculpture, the composition of the Pietà is impeccable. The figures are treated as a single whole, their connection is striking in its cohesion. At the same time, the sculptor subtly contrasts male and female, living and dead, naked and covered, vertical and horizontal, thereby introducing an element of tension into the composition.

“Pieta” served as a model for subsequent interpretations of this iconographic subject. The large, fraying folds of Madonna’s robe not only deliberately enhance the dramatic fracture of the body lying on her lap, but also serve as a kind of pedestal for the entire pyramidal composition. In these sophisticated folds one can discern hidden power, both spiritual and physical, contrasting with the soft features of the Mother of God. In terms of completeness and elaboration of details, the Pietà surpasses almost all other sculptural works of Michelangelo.

In 1972, the statue was attacked by an Australian geologist of Hungarian origin, Laszlo, with a rock hammer. The one who shouted that he was Christ. After restoration, the statue was installed behind bulletproof glass to the right of the entrance to the cathedral.

The Pieta Chapel is decorated with mosaics made by F. Cristofari according to drawings by Ferri and Pietro da Cortona. The latter is called the Bernini of painting because of the quantity and significance of his works for the cathedral. Above the altar is the fresco "Triumph of the Cross" by Lanfranco, the only fresco from the cathedral not translated into mosaic. The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament contains the only oil painting in the cathedral.

and from the Vatican website -

View from the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica - best view to Rome

As many of my friends know, I love Rome. And I feel at home in this city. This year was my third meeting with Rome. Short (only a couple of days), but very intense.

Every time in this city I try to discover at least one new place. And every time visit at least one, from where you can see the entire city. This time the highlight was visiting the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Yes, yes, I know that St. Peter’s Basilica is located in the Vatican, but when you stand there, at the top, at an altitude of more than 100 meters, it seems that all of Rome is at your feet...

So, in order. The ascent to the dome was planned in advance; we wanted to come early, right before the opening, but it didn’t work out. We arrived at the Vatican around 10 a.m., perhaps this is the deadline to come to see the Cathedral and climb under the Dome; later there will be even more tourists. If you plan to come to the opening, check the opening time of the Cathedral and the Dome on the official website.

In St. Peter's Basilica you can endlessly look at the sculptures, walls, and, of course, the dome

At the moment, the Cathedral opens at 7 am (check opening hours here http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_pietro/it/basilica/orari.htm), and the dome opens at 8.00 (you can check the time at http://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_pietro/it/basilica/orari.htm) ://www.vatican.va/various/basiliche/san_pietro/it/cupola/orari.htm) .

Bernini's canopy, as well as the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, are our goal.

After standing in line for security (yes, to enter the Cathedral, you need to go through a security check, just like at the airport) for about half an hour (and the sun has already begun to get very hot), we go into the Cathedral. Entrance to the Cathedral itself is free, so anyone can enter there. The Cathedral is striking in its size (even some of the largest European cathedrals can fit inside the Cathedral!), and its richly decorated interior - numerous statues of Christ, apostles, saints, monuments to famous statesmen, as well as Michelangelo’s sculpture “Pieta” (or “Lamentation of Christ”).

Michelangelo's Pietà seems to be the most famous sculpture in St. Peter's Basilica.

Be sure to raise your head up and look at the dome - even from here, from below, it seems simply huge, and the painting of the dome and mosaic are a real work of art, which only masters of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance could do.

Having thoroughly enjoyed the Greatest Cathedral, we set off to conquer it. To get to the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, you need to leave the Cathedral and follow the signs for “Cupola” (if you are facing the Cathedral, you must enter on the right). We go further along the signs (the farthest right passage), you won’t pass the ticket office, don’t worry, it will be a little further. Even if you are not sure whether you are going there, just ask the employees, they will show you the way. Please note: you can buy a ticket for the dome cash only, no discounts available, Roma Pass And Tickets to the Vatican Museums are not valid here!

Please note: you can only buy a ticket for the dome in cash, no discounts are provided, Roma Pass and Vatican Museums tickets are not valid here!

And now - the most interesting part. There are 2 options to climb the Dome. The first option is to walk all 551 steps on your own (that is, with your feet), or take half the way by elevator. On foot you still have to overcome 320 steps. Having read comments on the Internet that it would be difficult to go the whole way on foot, we decided to use the elevator (the cost of climbing the dome with an elevator is 8 euros, without an elevator - 6 euros), as it turned out later, in vain, the climb is not so difficult if you are in the most normal, average physical shape (we walked the whole way back). So, you can save money :) For two – already 4 euros!

The platform to which the elevator lifts

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica - seems so close

And so, we take the elevator up to the first landing, already here you can see the panorama of Rome, and at the same time the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, as well as the statues decorating its facade. At the same level we enter the Cathedral and find ourselves where we looked with admiration ten minutes ago. The people below seem so small, but the mosaic and painting of the dome, on the contrary, can be seen in detail and touch the centuries-old history.

Just recently we were down there and looked like the same little people

You can easily touch the centuries-old mosaic with your hand

Here it is, the dome, painted by the best masters of the Renaissance

But it’s time for us to go even higher – right up to the dome! The staircases are becoming narrower and narrower, the stairs are steeper and steeper, the walls are curved so much that they literally “fall” on you, at first, due to slight dizziness, you don’t understand why this is so, and then you realize that it’s because of the shape of the dome .

These are the narrow and inclined passages you have to overcome to climb to the dome itself

Guys with very broad shoulders will have a hard time squeezing into the narrow medieval corridors

Spiral staircase at the very end of the path

And now, the last, steepest steps, a thick rope instead of handrails, and we are at the top - at a bird's eye view, here it is, Rome, all in full view...

The first thing you see when you get to the very top! View of Rome and the Vatican Railway

The only problem is that there is very little space, and there are a lot of people, which is why I advise you to come early, but on the other hand, when there is such beauty around, you don’t notice anyone. Here it is, St. Peter's Square, there, further away is the Castel Sant'Angelo, and in the distance is the Palazzo Venezia. A little to the left are the Vatican Gardens, the Vatican coat of arms, and the Vatican Railway is the shortest railway in the world. In general, what can I say, see for yourself.

View of the Vatican Government building (Governor's Palace)

St. Peter's Basilica is main church for more than a billion Catholics. Just imagine, more than 1,000,000,000 people around the world consider this place holy and want to get here. By comparison, Orthodoxy numbers about 225 million people.

Therefore, if you are going to Rome, then visiting the Vatican with this cathedral is almost a necessity, even if you are not a Catholic - this attraction is of world scale. To make the visit more interesting, I will tell you below interesting facts about the temple and its history of creation.

History of the construction of the church

Before the cathedral was built, there were gardens on this site. Nearby was the circus of Emperor Nero. The circus was one of the favorite places of the townspeople; they often relaxed and had fun there. However, in parallel, the government carried out persecution of the first Christians: they tortured them, flogged them, and even threw them to lions in the arena of the Colosseum.

And then one day in 67 AD the authorities captured one of Christ’s disciples, the Apostle Peter. It is necessary to clarify that Saint Peter arrived in Rome in 43 in order to unite and support Roman Christians; Apostle Peter led the Roman Church for 24 years.

And so, in the ill-fated year 67, the saint was captured and brought to trial. Of course, the judges, who worshiped many deities, sentenced the apostle to death, considering his faith to be unfaithful and alien. After the verdict, Saint Peter was brought to Nero's circus.

In just a year, the place of entertainment was turned into a place of execution; several hundred Christians had already been tortured to death at this place; now it was Peter’s turn.

But the apostle was not embarrassed before death, and instead of the usual execution, he wished for martyrdom, like Christ, on the cross. The saint was buried nearby, and Peter's close friends later erected a monument on his grave. The burial place of Peter became the first place of worship for Christians - people came here for confession or simply for advice.

Photo: Close-up of the main facade

Construction of the cathedral

After the recognition of Christianity, in 322, Emperor Constantine ordered the construction of a basilica on the site of the crucifixion of St. Peter; in fact, it served as the mausoleum of St. Peter.

In 1506, Pope Julius II decided to rebuild the small basilica into a more prestigious cathedral, which would actually serve the role of main shrine Christian.

The development of the project was entrusted to Donato Bramante, who became the first architect of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Later, more than one eminent master made an effort to create the church: Raphael Santi, Antonio da Sangallo, Michelangelo Buonarotti and Giacomo della Porta were directly involved in the construction of this snow-white miracle.

Drawing from Antonio da Sangallo

By the way, Michelangelo refused to work on the cathedral for a long time, reinforcing his words with the fact that he was not an architect, although Buonarotti also did not take on the painting of the well-known Sistine Chapel. Later, it was under Michelangelo Buonarotti that work progressed more than during the time of all previous masters combined: walls and a roof were built practically from scratch and work began on a huge dome.

But each of the previous great masters contributed his own ideas, which were reflected in the final version of Buanorotti’s drawings; the most dramatic changes occurred in the form of the cathedral: the original idea was to build a cathedral in the form of a Greek cross (with equal sides), then a Latin one (with an elongated lower part), then again Greek, but still settled on the Latin version.

The interior of St. Peter's Cathedral was created by the greatest architect of Italy - Lorenzo Bernini.

The completion of construction was marked by the consecration of the cathedral by Urban VIII on November 18, 1626. At the same time, the cathedral was officially opened and services began.

Cathedral architecture

Temple dimensions

St. Peter's Cathedral is striking in its scale: its height is 136 meters and its width is 211. For a long time it had the status of the largest Christian cathedral in the world, however, the status was “taken away” in 1990 by the basilica in the city of Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, but in terms of capacity it is still in first place among all churches.

View of the Cathedral and Pont Sant'Angelo

The pride of the cathedral is the altar to the tomb of the Apostle Peter (the altar has an opening so everyone can look inside), but Peter is not the only one buried here: many people canonized as saints are buried on the territory of the cathedral.

Altar with a hole to the tomb of the Apostle Peter

In front of the entrance to the temple there are statues of Saints Paul and Peter. In Peter’s hand are the keys to the “kingdom of heaven,” which the Lord himself handed to him.

Photo: Statue of the Apostle Peter with the key to heaven. The statue of Paul is to the right.

Basilica dome

A masterpiece architectural art is the dome. The height is 119 meters, and the diameter is 42 meters. The dome is supported by four huge pillars.

Inside the cathedral, under the dome, there is a masterpiece by Bernini - a canopy, 29 meters high, on four twisted columns. A canopy is a decorative canopy on poles. Above each of the four columns are statues of angels. The bronze for the canopy was taken from the Pantheon, having dismantled the bronze structures supporting the portico.

Canopy - Bernini's masterpiece

Entrances to the cathedral

The temple has 5 doors. One of the doors has a very interesting purpose. These gates are the last on the right side, and they are called Holy. These gates open only in a special “Holy” year. The rest of the time the door is walled up. A walled door breaks before Christmas every 25 years. After triple genuflection and 3 blows of the hammer, the gates open and the pope with the cross enters the temple. After the end of the Holy Year, the gates are concreted for 25 years.

Useful information

Dress code

When entering the temple, there is a certain dress code: legs and arms must be covered, women must have their heads covered, and men must remove their hats.

Climb the dome

1. Firstly, the ascent is divided into 2 stages: first along comfortable and wide stairs, and then along narrow and inconvenient (for people with broad shoulders or those who are overweight) stairs.
2. Secondly, the service is paid - 7 € on the elevator and 5 € on foot along the steps, and the elevator only works at stage 1 (the remaining 320 steps must be climbed on foot). In order not to stand in huge queues, it is better to come to the opening itself (the ticket office starts opening at 8:00), or even better, 5-10 minutes in advance.
3. Thirdly, if you decide, you will be rewarded with unforgettable views from the highest point in Rome.

Opening hours

Time and opening hours of Peter's Cathedral: open from 9.00 to 19.00 from April to September and until 18.00 from October to March. Closed for papal receptions on Wednesday morning.

St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is an important cultural landmark with many works of art, and at the same time is the main center of Christian shrines. Entrance to the cathedral is free.

St. Peter's Cathedral (Basilica Sancti Petri) in — a symbol of a small but powerful state, the world center of Catholicism. In daylight, this temple looks solemn and grandiose. At night, in the rays of spotlights, its powerful oval dome resembles the sail of a huge ship heading into the sky.

The space of the temple is concentrated around the central nave. At the very end of the nave is a bronze statue of St. Peter. Many years of worship by believers have left their mark on the sculpture - pilgrims kiss the right foot of the saint. From an endless number of passionate kisses, the metal of the foot has smoothed and shines, as if polished.

The huge dome of the cathedral is a true architectural masterpiece. The gigantic structure, which took more than thirty years to build, rests on four powerful pillars. These pillars are not simple; they have niches for storing holy relics.

The inner surface of the dome space is decorated with stunning openwork mosaics in gold, white and blue tones, depicting angels and seraphim. All the vaults and walls of the cathedral are decorated with mosaics. Your head is spinning when you imagine how much time and effort the masters of the past spent on this magnificence!

Under the dome, above the papal altar, hangs a dark bronze canopy on four spiral columns. The structure looks small on the scale of the cathedral, but its height is almost thirty meters! This bizarre ciborium is Bernini's first work in the temple. Art critics consider it the standard of Baroque. Behind the canopy is the impressive Chair of St. Peter, also by Bernini.

There are many statues, chapels and altars, polychrome and gold mosaics, and elaborate tombstones in the cathedral. To describe them all here is a thankless task - it needs to be seen.

Over the course of a century and a half, many architects took part in the construction of St. Peter's Cathedral, often radically changing the plans of their predecessors. Despite this, the temple produces a surprisingly holistic impression, radiating incredible dignity with its entire architecture and interior decoration. The ensemble of the Cathedral and St. Peter's Square form a magnificent stage for the appearance of the Pope and the representation of Christianity.

To reduce the significance of St. Peter's Basilica solely to its architectural merits is to forget its status as a Christian shrine and the role it played in the fateful turn that marked a new stage in the development of Western art, architecture and culture in general. This temple is not just a historical and architectural monument. Within the walls of the main shrine of the Roman Catholic Church, world art, history and spiritual development fully manifested themselves.

The cathedral is dedicated to the Apostle Peter, the first bishop of Rome, whose successor all popes are considered to be. Until the early 1990s, when an even larger church was built in the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, St. Peter's Basilica was the largest Christian sacred building.

Opening hours:
daily 9.00 - 18.00;
entry is free.

Story

The first Church of St. Peter was built under Emperor Constantine - a five-nave basilica, in front of which there was a square framed by columns. The basilica was erected over the tomb of the Apostle Peter and consecrated in 326.

The first St. Peter's Basilica was built in 324, when Emperor Constantine transferred the remains of the Apostle Simon Peter to Vatican Mountain. To mark the sanctity of this place, he ordered the erection of a basilica with five altars - just a pathetic predecessor of the colossus that now stands in its place.

In the 15th century The basilica, which had existed for eleven centuries, threatened to collapse, and under Nicholas IV they began to expand and rebuild it. This issue was radically resolved by Julius II, who ordered the construction of a huge new cathedral on the site of the ancient basilica, which was supposed to eclipse both the pagan temples and the existing Christian churches, thereby helping to strengthen the papal state and spread the influence of the Catholic Church. The first stone of the cathedral was laid on April 18, 1506. Funds for construction were obtained through the generous trade in indulgences and levies from the territories subject to the church, called the “mite of St. Petra."

Bramante was the first “Renaissance man” to attempt to draw up plans for this new, unusually monumental house of God. After his death in 1514, Raphael (died in 1520) began work, and then Sangallo and Peruzzi. Until 1546, work progressed barely, since overly ambitious architects could not find common language. Everyone was only interested in leaving their mark on this structure, and endless changes in plans practically stopped construction.

In 1547, Pope Paul III entrusted the management of the work to 72-year-old Michelangelo. Simply put, he simply ordered the obstinate foreman to finish the construction. Michelangelo was forced to bow to such a firm will of the pope and got down to business. He worked on St. Peter's Basilica until his death in 1564.

St. Peter's Basilica was completely completed on November 18, 1623, when Pope Urban VII solemnly consecrated the temple. In total, the construction of the cathedral took almost 120 years - during this time there were 20 popes - from Julius II to Urban VII, and each, in one way or another, tried to expand and make the monumental house of God even more grandiose. The list of craftsmen, architects and artists whose skill and talent contributed to the glory of the magnificent temple includes such names as Bramante, Raphael, Bernini and, of course, Michelangelo.

Interior of the cathedral

Inside, St. Peter's Cathedral is stunning in its scale: length 186 m, height in the central nave - 45 m, and with the dome - all 119 m. In the center of the main nave, floor slabs contain the dimensions of the most significant cathedrals world, allowing them to be compared with the size of the cathedral. On the red porphyry slab of the Main Portal, where the former altar was located, Pope Leo III on Christmas Day 800 placed the crown of the Roman Emperor on the head of Charlemagne. At the fourth pillar on the right is a bronze statue of a seated St. Peter (13th century), whose right foot was polished by the kisses of believers.

In addition to the main dome and eight side domes, the interior of St. Peter's Basilica is decorated with 800 columns and 390 colossal statues made of tuff, marble, plaster and bronze. There are 45 separate altars here. Visitors enter the basilica through massive bronze doors. Nearby there are “Holy Doors” that are opened only for the Pope to proclaim a holiday or holy year.

Cathedral dome

The double dome of the cathedral with a diameter of 42.2 m above the papal altar rests on powerful pillars, and between them in niches there are statues of St. Helena, St. Veronica, St. Longinus and St. Andrey. On the dome ring latin inscription: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church... And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.” Above the gallery inside the vestibule between the two layers of the dome, stairs lead to the lantern, from where a grandiose view of St. Peter's Square, the Vatican and Rome opens (entrance in the left side nave or on the right in the narthex).

Papal altar

Above the Papal, or Main, altar on four twisted gilded columns is a huge bronze canopy (ciborium), created in 1633 by Bernini by order of Pope Urban VIII. In front of the altar, a double staircase leads down to the Confessio - the site where the tomb of the Apostle Peter is believed to be located. Another masterpiece by Bernini is the Chair of St. Peter in the apse. Four Church Fathers support Peter's episcopal chair, above the back of which two putti hold keys and a tiara - symbols of papal authority, and above them floats the symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Apse

The first chapel of the right side nave contains Michelangelo's great creation - the sculptural group “Pieta”, created by order of the French cardinal Jean Billaire de Lagrol (then he was 24 years old) for his future tomb (1498-1499). Young Mary holds Christ taken from the cross on her knees. Michelangelo left his signature on the ribbon on Mary's chest. Of the many papal tombs in the side naves, the Baroque tomb of Pope Alexander VII, the greatest dramatic creation of Bernini (1672-1678), is especially impressive. Surrounded by four figures of virtue, the pope faces his death.

Vatican grottoes

Vatican grottoes (Sacre Grotte Vaticane), descending there from the columns at the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse naves; they represent a crypt built during the construction of a new basilica. Then the floor level was raised by 3.5 m. Under the Main Altar - a shrine with holy relics, Popes Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul I are buried here. These grottoes are located in the German cemetery of the Vatican, which is to the left of the cathedral.

Cloth:

Shorts, bare-shouldered clothing and miniskirts are not permitted. The rules are equally strict for both men and women. Even if you went through the security representatives to St. Peter's Square, the guards may not let you inside the museums or into the Cathedral.

Facts

• Status: Since this is the ceremonial cathedral of the Pope, it would hardly be correct to call it a cathedral.
• Dimensions: Basilica is 211 m long, 1.32 m wide and 1.38 m high.
• Dome dimensions: Dome diameter 42.34 m. Height from bottom edge to cross approx. 43 m.

Chronology

• 324: By order of Emperor Constantine, St. Peter's Basilica with five altars is built on Vatican Mountain.
• April 18, 1506: The first stone of the new temple was laid.
• 1514: The first leader of the work, the architect Bramante, died.
• 1515-1546: Works are supervised by Raphael da Sangallo and Peruzzi.
• 1547-1564: Michelangelo undertakes the construction of the cathedral.
• November 18, 1623: Pope Urban VII consecrated St. Peter's Basilica, 120 years in the making.