St. Peter’s Basilica: The Rock Upon Which The Church Is Built

St. Peter’s Basilica is the very heart of Catholic Christianity, built over the tomb of Saint Peter, the first Pope, and the Galilean fisherman who was commissioned by Christ to be the “rock” on which He would build His Church. This marvelous Renaissance church, its dome soaring above Roman skyline like a crown of glory, is not merely a masterpiece of architecture but final word of the Papacy and coming together of Catholic Church across space and time. For pilgrims, a pilgrimage to St. Peter’s is not merely an act of tourism, but a religious experience with origins of their religion and tradition of apostolicity from the words of Christ: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).The religious significance of St. Peter’s begins beneath the church, in the necropolis that houses Peter’s tomb.

The holy site, reached by a spiritual penetration into the earth, presents the pilgrim with humble beginnings of the Church. Archaeological excavations in the 1940s revealed a first-century graveyard with a shrine, which early Christians honored as tomb of Peter, inscribed with graffiti such as “Peter is here” in ancient Greek. For those pilgrims who visit this sacred site, to be in the same location where the Prince of the Apostles was laid to rest is a powerful experience of communality with the origins of the Church and with the promise of Christ that the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Here, in the half-light of excavations, one can almost hear whispers of early Christian community coming together around tomb of their good shepherd, prayers ascending like incense to heaven. The basilica itself, planned by Bramante, Michelangelo, and the other Renaissance masters, generates an atmosphere of wonder and awe that raises the heart to God. The vast interior, whose proportions are a replica of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, symbolizes the Church as the New Temple where God dwells amidst his people.

The instant visitor steps into the nave, and the sheer enormity of the room overwhelms the senses, reminding one of the greatness of God and ecumenical nature of the Church. The inscription on the triumphal arch in Latin proclaims Christ’s declaration to Peter: “Tu es Petrus” (You are Peter), as a constant reminder of the divine power vested in the successor of Peter.

The Bernini baldacchino, above Peter’s tomb above high altar, is a visual focal point for liturgy and reminder of power vested in Peter and his successors by Christ. Its twisted bronze columns, based on Temple in Jerusalem’s columns, indicate the continuity between New and Old Covenants, while the laurel sprigs indicate Christ’s victory over death. Spiritual treasures of St. Peter’s include Michelangelo’s Pietà, which indicates Mary’s sorrow cradling the dead Christ. This Renaissance art gem, carved from one Carrara marble block when Michelangelo was only 24 years old, encourages the pilgrim to ponder the enigma of salvation and the anguish of Mary, Mother of Sorrows, at the foot of the Cross.

The inscription on the band over Mary’s breast “MICHEL AELAS BONAROTUS FLORENT FACIBAT” is the artist’s boast at what he had accomplished. The bronze image of Peter, whose foot has been worn smooth by pilgrims’ kisses over the centuries, bears witness to enduring love of the faithful who have traveled to appeal for the intercession of the first Pope. To place one’s hand on this foot is to be connected with thousands of pilgrims who have traveled before one, creating a link of faith that extends back through the centuries.

For the devout pilgrim, St. Peter’s offers daily Masses in multiple languages, confessions in multiple languages, and the opportunity to participate in the Papal audiences and liturgies. Climbing to the very top of the dome, while physically demanding, is a spiritual metaphor for reaching God. As the pilgrim ascends the spiral stairs between inner and outer shells of the dome, the world below recedes and pilgrim is drawn upwards towards light. On top is Panoramic View of Rome to help pilgrims understand spiritual geography of city, with other main basilicas visible in distance, forming a spiritual cross across the city. The excitement of being atop St. Peter’s, gazing over the Eternal City, is a powerful reminder of Church’s challenge to be a “city set on a hill” (Matthew 5:14), a beacon of light and hope to the world.