I have this great old book, “Character Calendar” by Sister Mary Fidelis, and Sister Mary Charitas, 1931. It lists a saint for every day of the year. Under June 29th, I find the names The Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
It is their feast day, celebrated by the Roman Catholic, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutheran churches. It is said “Today the whole Church rejoices for “God has consecrated this day by the martyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul.’ In both the grand basilicas erected at Rome over the tombs of these two princes, who by the cross and sword have obtained their seat in the eternal senate this double sacrifice was celebrated. (Later on account of the distance which separates the two churches, the festival was divided, St Peter being more especially honored on June 29, and St Paul on June 30.)”
There is much happening at St. Peter’s Basilica on this day, including a mass by the Pope. I have several books on St. Peter’s Basilica.
The first is “The Basilica of St. Peter and The Sistine Chapel”, circa 1980. The overhead outside view of St. Peter is from this book. I put a ring over the Sistine Chapel.
Then “The Major Basilicas of Rome: Saint Peter’s, San Giovanni, San Paolo, Santa Maria Maggiore”, 1999.
Thirdly “guide to St. Peter’s Basilica” 2005. All three of these books have wonderful photographs of the artwork, the architecture, showing the immense size and beauty of St. Peter’s Cathedral.
To view things like ‘the Alter of the Chair of St. Peter’; the ‘Pieta’ by Michelangelo; ‘The Papal Alter’ by Bernini, which is above ‘the Crypt of St. Peter’;’the Papel Tombs’ where 91 popes are interred, the ‘Funeral Monument to Pope Alexander VII Chigi’ where the door to eternity is covered over by a drapery, being held open by a skeleton holding up an hourglass. Along with these few items, there are many, many more-all taken tourist free. There are also illustrations, and histories about the building of, and the work Popes have added to the Basilica. Each book has a different focus and direction, yet all three are superb for remembering what there is to see.
Sometimes though, you want to have more candid photographs-showing ‘you were there’. Since I WAS there, I have a several such photographs. The first is under the great dome, with the sun shining in. It is an unbelievable spot in the Basilica, and only 387 feet to the top of the dome.
While St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are next to each other-connected by semi-secret passageway, we were not allowed to pass through. We would have to exit one side, and walk a mile and half outside, then go through a second set of metal detectors to get back in-this would take several hours. However, our guide in the Vatican (a senior who knew things!), took us to the Sistine Chapel, and then double-talked her (and our) way past the Swiss Guards to one long hallway, then down a tremendously long staircase, to another long hallway, and talked again to the Swiss Guards, protecting those doors near the front of St. Peter. They finally let us pass, although we did get yelled at for trying to take pictures in the hallway. Once we were free, our guide then made her trek back. She was an absolute wonderful guide, not only for helping us, but by her insight of the tour. She was a retired archaeologist, that did this just for the love of it.
These were the last two Swiss Guards we had to get past. They were trying to keep people from coming in. Our guide tricked them that we were trying to get out. Notice the suitcase that one is carrying. It would be their rifle.
As you can see in this picture, we were in the Sistine Chapel. There may or may not have been rules about taking pictures of Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Like a rugby scrum, we huddled tightly around the camera.
Whether with tour guides, candid photos, or staged professional photographs in books, this was quite a place to see and learn about. And also… to think back about Simon (Peter), in his boat, when he first met Jesus near the bank of the Sea of Galilee, a poor fisherman who became the first apostle. Then following the arrest of Jesus by the Romans, Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, yet was visited by Jesus after the resurrection and was asked three times “do you love me?” After each affirmative “yes”, Jesus said “then feed my sheep.” Jesus gave Peter the Keys to Heaven-the authority to keep preaching the work of God. Peter then became a major force in the early church, the first bishop of Antioch and Rome.
His Basilica in Rome was quite the testimonial.
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