Thursday, 24 January 2008

And finally -- St. Peter Himself! (Vatican City)

"St. Peter's baldacchino is a large sculpted bronze artwork designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and located over the high altar of the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. The large canopy was intended to mark in a monumental way the place of Saint Peter's tomb. It was commissioned by Pope Urban VIII. Works began in July 1623 and ended in 1633."

Here's the text from the tomb.

On December 23, 1950, in his pre-Christmas radio broadcast to the world, Pope Pius XII announced the discovery of Saint Peter's tomb.  It was in the crypt.  Which now, is below the altar, and the baldacchino and remains an excavation site!

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