ST. PETER’S BASILICA and the SISTINE CHAPEL

Tuesday 8 October 2013

ST. PETER'S BASILICA

We’re on a pilgrimage, so I try to pray at all the holy sites that we visit. That prayer has sometimes been deep and powerful — for example, at the tombs of St. John and St. Paul. But after our morning liturgy at St. Peter’s, when we returned to the basilica with our tour guide Paolo, it felt more like we were at a museum than at a house of worship. That’s not the basilica’s fault. St. Peter’s, covering about 15,500 square yards and reaching up 150 feet high, is overwhelming, historic, and very much a product of the Renaissance style from which it was birthed. Around 7 million people come to St. Peter’s annually, making it among the most visited sacred sites in the world. So, of course, the basilica will be crowded, busy and noisy on any given day.

All the churches and mosques we have visited are covered almost wall-to-wall with beautiful art or — in the case of the mosques where no images are allowed — exquisite architectural design. St. Peter’s magnifies that art-sharing a hundredfold. Its ornate columns, gold-leafed walls, paintings and statues were created by a Who’s Who of the Renaissance era: Raphael, Brunelleschi, Bernini, Michelangelo, and more. The obvious response from visiting pilgrims is jaw-dropping awe and camera snapping, plus a fair amount of pushing and shoving, especially at popular areas like the Pieta or the Tomb of Blessed Pope John XXIII. In large crowds I start praying the Rosary silently. I find that it calms me and centers me, and on a pilgrimage it keeps me focused on the reason I am here.

I often hear comments from people along the lines of, “Such opulence! The Church should sell these treasures and give the money to the poor.” I admit I sometimes had that viewpoint when I was younger but I have since come to a more thoughtful understanding of the art and architecture of the Vatican.

1. These statues, paintings and buildings were commissioned by the Church during the Renaissance from the finest artists of the day. They are true works of art that reflect the baroque “over-the-top” style of that period — perhaps not the artistic cup of tea for many people of the 21^st century but certainly worthy of preservation for future generations.

2. If the Church were to sell these art treasures, who would buy them? What would happen to them? Would the new owners (assuming someone could actually afford them) continue to share them with the public for the whole world to see? Would they be displayed in a respectful setting that would inspire visitors to prayer and faith?

3. Why is the Catholic Church always singled out with this question? The Anglican Westminster Abbey in London is filled with paintings and tapestries that attract millions of visitors annually. As we saw in Turkey, the Muslim faith also has relics and sacred treasures on public display at Topkapi Palace, not to mention the magnificence of the Blue Mosque. One never hears criticism of these sacred places. In fact, the Muslim community utilizes the Topkapi display of its sacred treasures as an opportunity to edify the faithful, and to educate people who might be curious to learn more about the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. So the Catholic Church isn’t the only faith community to understand and appreciate the value of sacred art.

Here are a few more photos of the sacred art of St. Peter’s Basilica:

Click here for the official Vatican website on St. Peter's Basilica.

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THE SISTINE CHAPEL

We were in St. Peter’s for only 90 minutes. I could have spent a whole week! But now it was time to move on to the Vatican Museum, which climaxes at the incomparable Sistine Chapel.

Seemed like the museum entrance was at least two miles away from St. Peter’s Square. More walking, more waiting in long lines. Along the way I was very amused to see a restaurant with a clever name that is a play on “Habemus Papam,” the Latin words used to announce the election of a new Holy Father (“We have a pope!”).

The Vatican Museum is basically a “stage wait” that leads to the REAL event: the Sistine Chapel. That’s not to denigrate the beautiful art that precedes the museum’s climax — everything from ancient Roman statuary to medieval tapestries to Renaissance ceiling frescoes. . .

But anticipation for the Sistine Chapel was certainly high as we eagerly awaited our chance to set foot in that renowned sacred space. Briefly, it’s the chapel of the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope. It takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who began the chapel’s restoration in 1477. Perhaps the most definitive renovation was Pope Julius II’s commissioning of Michelangelo to paint the ceiling frescoes in 1508. Later, Pope Paul III commissioned the artist to return and paint the frescoes of Last Judgment over the altar in 1535.

I was in awe as we entered the chapel, which was wall-to-wall with a hushed crowd of people. Photography was NOT allowed. In fact, one young man who snapped a photo was promptly removed by security. So the images I share below are lifted from official photos from the Vatican website.

I walked away with a deeper appreciation for the intricate artistry of Michelangelo, who spent fours years lying on his back on top of scaffolding. That he was able to create a masterpiece under such challenging circumstances staggered my imagination.

The Sistine Chapel is, of course, renowned as the location where the College of Cardinals holds the Conclave that elects a new pope. We saw this most recently with the election of Pope Francis last spring (March 2013). But if you missed seeing that on television, I highly recommend that you check out the 1968 movie The Shoes of the Fisherman starring Anthony Quinn as a the first Russian pope. It is perhaps the most vivid cinematic portrayal of the ritual and traditions of the Papal Conclave, and the Vatican gave permission to the producers to film right in the Sistine Chapel. Absolutely fascinating and educational!

Click here for a link to the Shoes of the Fisherman DVD on Amazon.

Click here for more detailed info on the Sistine Chapel from the website of the Vatican Museum. Includes virtual tour of the chapel.

NEXT BLOG: General Audience with Pope Francis.