Friday, October 30, 2015

St. Paul Basilica - Outside the Walls

Today was our final day with Liz Lev, professor of Art History for the Gregorian University as well as Duquesne.  I've been to many visits to this famous Basilica but she helps me to see things in a way I've never seen before.

St. Paul's was built originally in the 1500's as the largest church in the world.  It was built to honor the memory of St. Paul, whose remains are buried there.  Paul returns after his shipwreck in Malta. He and St. Peter were to be killed on the very same day.

Legend has it that Paul was taken to Tres Fontaine where he was beheaded.  There is a story told about a follower of his who was weeping knowing that Paul was to be taken to be executed.  He asks her for her scarf to cover his eyes as he's being killed.  Legend has it that his head bounced 3 times which is where we get the name, "Tres Fontaine," (the three fountains).  Paul's body was placed into a mass grave with the scarf.  When the woman and her family found the scarf still wrapped around Paul's head, they knew they had discovered his body and placed it into their family grave.

In 1823 a worker inside the basilica left an ember burning.  Soon the entire roof was inflamed and substantially destroyed the interior of the building.  In 1823 Napoleon had just succeeded in raiding Italy and Rome was bankrupt.  Leo XIII and Gregory XVI asked the faithful for donations. Successful in their campaign, they finished restoring the basilica in 1854 but made it spectacular.

The basilica is located at the intersection of two major streets.  It rises above the skyline and greets travelers from great distance.  The courtyard is spectacular.  It prepares you mentally from the travel to come to a place of celestial peace.  The statue of Paul dominates the courtyard.  He appears with a sword in hand - a reminder of his journeys as defender of the faith.

The interior of St. Paul's has always impressed me and today I discovered why.  You enter in and
begin to realize just how important space is.  Unlike the pagan Roman temples, here is where humanity and divinity meet.  In the temple sacrifices to the gods were made outside the sanctuary.  In the Christian churches, you are drawn upward to meet God and God comes down to earth to be one with us.  Unlike the temples, there is no separation between heaven and earth.  You are drawn into something deeper and richer - into the mystery and the presence of God.

Unlike pagan temples, Christians wanted to incorporate light into their worship spaces.  We move out of the shadows and into the light.  The light in this basilica "beams" into the church from heaven above.  The nave of the church is a reminder that we are all in this "boat" together.   The very architecture of the basilica explains who God is and who we are.

A unique aspect of this Basilica are the medallions of all 266 popes since Peter onward.  The mosaic lab at the Vatican (since 1565) designed each of these medallions.  An interesting story is told about Pope Francis.  He was announced as Holy Father in March but the medallion did not get placed into St. Paul's until December, 2013.  He didn't want to sit for his official photo shoot and this is what they use to create the mosaic.  He finally sat for the photo in October and then announced he wanted the medallion to be in place by December.  Two workers spent months on the design and it is truly spectacular.  The red of the pope's vestment come from some of the oldest stone in the mosaic lab dating back to the 1500's.  Looking at the mosaic, you could swear it was a photograph - it's that realistic!

The canopy above the main altar is remarkable.  Anolfo Dicambrio created it around the Jubilee Year of 1300.  It, obviously, survived the fire.  The canopy has multiple purposes.  First, it protects the Eucharist from dust and debris.  These ceilings are hundreds of years old and in constant need of cleaning and restoration.  Second, it signifies the meeting of heaven and earth.  God comes down from heaven onto the altar in the Eucharist.  This canopy utilizes heavy marble in such a way as to appear airy and light.  DiCambrio depicts prophets, angels, Adam and Eve all above the altar to indicate all above the Eucharistic table.

The beautiful mosaic in the apse is a Greek design.  Jesus appears more serene and fair-skinned than
in usual depictions.  The apostles surround him.   There was tremendous comfort and strength praying before this magnificent icon.

Two more noteworthy elements of the basilica.  The Eucharistic chapel has a cross before which St. Bridget of Sweden prayed.  She came to visit the pope to ask for his permission to begin a new religious community.  He was not in Rome so she came to St. Paul's to pray.  She did so before this crucifix and, from the cross, Jesus spoke to her affirming the choice to move forward with the new community.  Also, Ignatius prayed here as well before relics now on the main altar.  It was here that he and his followers informally began what is known today as the Jesuit community.

Finally, the tomb of St. Paul is below the main altar under the canopy.  There is a remnant of the chain which bound him and his tomb is below that.  A few years ago they placed a fiber optic camera into the tomb and discovered bone matter, a purple cloth and gold sequin.  These indicated that early Christians wrapped Paul's remains with the color of dignity and royalty.  The same were found in St. Peter's tomb at the Vatican.

Peter and Paul are often pictured together.  Romans loved to do this because it also reminded them that their city was founded by two brothers, Remus and Romulus.  Peter and Paul are seen as brother sin the faith who were killed on the very same da

1 comment:

  1. I learned a lot about this special church. Always one of my favorites

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