Few know that the great bronze throne made by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and which seems to float in the apse of the St. Peter’s Basilica It is actually the reliquary of what for centuries was considered the most precious relic of the Vatican basilica. This is the chair from which the Galilean fisherman and his immediate successors governed the first Christian community of Rome. Until a few centuries ago it was carried in procession and pilgrims rushed over it to touch it with crosses and rosaries. But while Bernini was preparing his work, they discovered that it was actually a throne from the 9th century, and they decided to leave it stored there and not show it again.
Since then, it has been shown only on exceptional occasions, the last one in 1867. Now, taking advantage of the restoration of the reliquary, the Pope Francis has decided to put it back on display for a few weeks.
To understand the meaning of this oak and ivory chair, it is enough to imagine that dozens of popes, sitting in it, have governed the Church, condemned heresies, called crusades, revoked excommunications, crowned emperors, canonized saints and blessed pilgrims.
Pietro Zander, responsible for the works of art in St. Peter’s Basilica, explains to ABC that although the first apostle did not use it, “this very ancient piece, with ivory decorations that come from the throne of a Roman emperor from the 3rd century, “It has enormous historical, artistic and, above all, spiritual value.” “It is a symbol of the primacy of Peter, which brings closer the atmosphere that was felt in the first Christian community,” the Vatican highlighted in the statement announcing the display.
«I was moved when I saw it. Not only because I have spent a lifetime studying this object and know its history, but because of the number of knees that throughout history have knelt before it,” adds Zander. He was one of the few who attended the operations to remove the bronze fence that jealously guards it. Before, they had to cover the ‘Glory‘by Bernini. The operation has been worthwhile as it will allow us to assess the state of conservation of this very ancient object, shed some light on its correct dating and expose it to the public.
It is a throne, which in Catholic circles is called ‘cathedra’ or ‘sede’. From him, for a millennium the popes governed the Catholic Church as bishops of Rome. The external structure, with rings to transport it, is the most modern, and dates back to the 13th century. This covers the main piece, which is another throne from the 9th century, a gift from the Carolingian King. Charles the Bald to the Pope John VIII as gratitude for having crowned him in the year 875. This monarch also helped him fight the Saracen troops in southern Italy. The bust of the King, with crown and globe, appears on the horizontal crossbar of the chair, between two angels who give him a crown and two other angels who raise a palm.
In the front part of the seat, there are eighteen ivory plaques inlaid with drawings of constellations and the ‘labours of Hercules’, which some consider to be remains of the throne of a Roman emperor from the 3rd century. Others believe that they were made in northern Europe in the 8th century. «In any case it is a magnificent object. It is enough to contemplate the perfection with which these drawings full of details have been carved into the ivory,” adds the main artistic person in charge of the basilica. It is not clear what meaning the pontiffs wanted to attribute to these illustrations, but they point out that “Hercules is a positive hero, who challenges evil and wins, which is why, compared to other classic pagan iconography, he easily makes his way into iconography.” Christian.”
The chronicles say that each February 22On the day that Catholics celebrate the feast of the “Chair of Peter”, the chair was carried in a procession and displayed at some Jubilees. To illustrate its meaning, the Pope Alexander VII He asked Bernini to place it in the apse of the basilica and he designed the current bronze throne held by four fathers of the Church and illuminated by the light of the only decorated stained glass window in this temple, where he represented the Holy Spirit.
According to Zander, the idea of exposing the chair arose almost as a necessity, since “we had to restore Bernini’s monument and we could not leave the chair exposed to the elements.” Naturally, his collaborators have taken the opportunity to check its state of conservation and have confirmed that “it is perfectly fine, insects have not attacked it.” They have also collected information to improve dating. “Perhaps they can give us more elements to settle the chronological issue,” he hints. In any case, in his opinion, it continues to have a double value, “symbolic, as it represents the primacy of the Pope in the government of the Church, and relic, the fruit of popular devotion that was the seat of Peter.”
The piece can be seen until next December 8the day when he will return to the reliquary and Zander will close the gate that protects him from prying eyes. “Perhaps in the future another pope will decide to show it again, only he can authorize it,” he warns.
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