Basilica San Pietro

After lunch on Thursday 12 September, I returned to St Peter's, stopping along the way at Saint Maria in Transpontina.  The ceiling of which is shown below.

 

Ceiling of Saint Maria in Transpontina

Saint Peter's

The Piazza at St Peter's has two fountains and an Egyptian Obelisk.  The first picture shows the facade of the Basilica across the piazza with one of the fountains in the foreground.

Piazza at St Peter's

You can see along the base of the Colonnade on the right hand side the line of people snaking their way to the security checkpoint.  I was standing in the line at the time.

Piazza St Peter's -- renovations

Main Door to St Peter's Basilica

Holy Door to St Peter's Basilica

It was unsealed for the Jubilee Year 2000

 

Nave of St Peter's

The picture above shows the Nave of the Basilica.  On the left you see a large statue with a circular painting up above.  There are four such structures that surround the Baldacchio, the canopy over the main altar, and hold up the Dome.  The paintings represent the Four Gospel writers, Mathew, Mark, Luke and John.  The large statue you see is St Veronica.  The Baldacchio was designed by Bernini.  The columns were taken from the Temple of Jupiter in the Roman Forum.

Closer view of Statue shown in Picture above

 Statue of St Andrew the brother of St Peter, and one of the Twelve.

note the size with respect to the people below the statue.

 



The Vatican is a tomb for more than 100 Popes.  There are shrines to several as side chapels.  The mortal remains of two popes are available for the veneration of the faithful.  One of them has the incorrupt remains of Pope Innocent III who died in 1216 AD.

 

Placement of the incorrupt remains of Pope Innocent III

His remains are enshrined in an altar which is adorned with a Mosaic replica of Raphael's Transfiguration, as seen above.  Across the Nave from this altar is another altar which enshrines the incorrupt remains of Pope John XXIII, who died in 1963.  Blessed John XXIII looks as though he is sleeping.  He will be entered into the canon of Saints in the spring. 

 

There are several rows of kneelers in front of that altar so the faithful may pray.  Many were praying there.  I joined them.

Adornment of area around small cupola.

 

The picture above shows how thorough the decoration of the Basilica is.   This shows a side cupola, with a biblical figure in the 'corner' and panels of images adorning the arches.  There were many such figures and I could only identify a few of them.

Area where Sacrament of confession is held.

The picture above shows the area of the Basilica where the Sacrament of Reconciliation is celebrated.  The wooden boxes you can see spaced along the walls are the confessionals.  Confessions are only heard at certain times, and you can go into this region (the north transept of the Basilica), only for the Sacrament.  There are kneelers down the center where you can collect yourself and prepare for the Sacrament.  Each of the confessionals is labeled so that the penitent can know the languages spoken by the priest/confessor.

 

There are several chapels and shrines around the Basilica.  One is for Eucharistic Adoration, I prayed there too.  There's a shrine to blessed John Paul II, pope.  Some of the shrines are tombs.  The area in front of the altar of St Joseph, where the morning Masses are celebrated is set aside for prayer.  It has kneelers, and no photography is permitted.

 

Evening Mass (at 5PM) was at the altar of the Chair of St Peter.

Altar of the Chair of St Peter

 Similar to the altar of St Joseph, the altar of the Chair is set aside for Mass.  You can go in there only for the Mass.  I took the above picture after the 5 PM Mass ended, while the lights were still on.  In the picture you can see the Statue of the Chair of St Peter.  The Chair is upheld by four Fathers of the Church, two from the East, and two from the West (of the Church).  The ones from the West are wearing Miters.  In the window immediately above the Chair, and part of the sculpture is an image of a dove representing the Holy Spirit.

The Mass at the Altar of the Chair was in Latin with the Readings and homily in Italian.  After Mass I prayed at the shrine of Blessed John Paul II.  He will be entered into the Canon of Saints next spring with Blessed John XXIII.