SAINT PETER IN CHAIN - SAN PIETRO IN
VINCOLI
In the Monti quarter there are many
churches, some of which are universally famous. The Church of San Pietro in Vincoli
(St. Peter in chains) owes its name to the precious relic it hosts: the chains used to
fetter St. Peter in his prisons in Jerusalem and in Rome.
San Pietro in Vincoli, exterior |
The
original church was dedicated to the Apostles and was built in the 4th century. Cardinal
Giuliano della Rovere, the future Julius II, completely modified the church in the 15th
century, which was further modified during the following century. |
San Pietro in Vincoli, interior |
In the exterior you can see the
church, having a portico with five arches, adjoining to the building of the faculty of
engineering. The church has a plan of a basilica, being divided by twenty ancient marble
columns in the interior.
On the ceiling there is a beautiful fresco by Giovanni Battista Parodi (1706). There are
paintings by Guercino and Domenichino, a Byzantine mosaic showing St. Sebastian, yet all
these masterpieces are eclipsed by the TOMB OF JULIUS II, by Michelangelo, notwistanding
the initial grandiose conception was never completed.
The complex of statues of
Michelangelo |
Pope
Julius II summoned Michelangelo in 1505 to build a sunctuose mausoleum for St. Peter,
which would have included 40 statues. The work was suspended many times, first by quarrels
between the Pope and Michelangelo, then by the decoration by the artist of the Sistine
Chapel, and finally by the death of the Pope. The master entrusted the main part of the
work to his pupils, who executed them in accordance to his designs. Michelangelo was
though totally responsible for the Moses, and was largely responsible for the figures next
to him, his wifes Rachel (left, symbolizing Contemplative Life), and Leah (right, Active
Life). |
Moses, by Michelangelo |
The monument was only completed in
1545, "a tragedy", as Michelangelo put it. Nevertheless, Michelangelo was so
impressed of the result of his work that it is said he threw his hammer against the statue
crying "why won't you speak?".
Sigmund Freud, who was very interested about the significance of Moses, and in general of
anthropology and psychology of religions, came to Rome in more than one occasion to study
and interpret the statue.
S. Freud considered Moses an Egyptian, not a Jew.
According to the founder of psychoanalysis, he was a priest, a follower of the religion
worshipping the sun, introduced by Akhenaton. When the traditional priests restored the
original Egyptian religion, they persecuted the followers of Akhenaton. Moses (or Mosis,
according to Freud) then sought protection among the Jews, originally an Egyptian tribe. |
Moses, side view |
The
Jews were thus converted to the new religion, and later developed their present one.
Freud tried also to interpret the particular posture that Michelangelo gave to Moses. In
fact he does not have a classical expression, but rather a grim look to the left. Freud
wrote an essay with his thoughts, entitled "The Moses of Michelangelo". |
Moses, close-up |
His conclusion is that Moses has the
very serious and grim expression as he just returned from the mountain where we received
the Tables of the Law, and he found his people worshipping the Golden Calf. Moses is hence
looking at them in disdain, and is about to stand up in anger and break the Tables of the
Law.
The chains of St. Peter |
The Church of San Francesco di Paola |
As mentioned, the church also
preserves the chains of St. Peter, in the confessio. According to tradition, when the two
chains used to fetter the Saint in Jerusalem and in Rome were brought together, they were
united miraculously.
Adjacent to the church of St. Peter in Chain, and having its entrance in the same square,
is the national church of the Calabrians, San Francesco di Paola. The medieval tower of
the Margini was converted into its bell tower.
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please click here.
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