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 The Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls Roman Basilicas Issue of 1949 (Scott 129) As a recent visitor to Rome (my first trip to Europe), I was fortunate to visit three of the four major papal basilicas. One can only marvel at the masterpieces found at each of these monumental structures. Saint Peter’s Basilica has the Baldacchino by Bernini and his Cathedra of Saint Peter. Saint John Lateran features the massive statues of the Twelve Apostles lining its nave. Saint Mary Major now has the tomb of Pope Francis, located outside the Pauline Chapel housing the iconic painting of the Virgin Mary, the Salus Populi Romani. I was blessed to visit each of these great churches, and to pass through their Holy Doors during the past Jubilee Year. The one papal basilica I did not have a chance to visit was Saint Paul Outside the Walls. This massive church, rebuilt in the 1800’s following a devastating fire that destroyed most of the structure, features medallion-shaped mosaics of all the popes ringing the walls above the naves. Now, less than one year after his election, the medallion picturing Pope Leo XIV will take its place alongside those of his predecessors. It was announced this week that the mosaic for Pope Leo has been completed by the Vatican Mosaic Studio of the Fabbrica de San Pietro (Fabric of Saint Peter). The Fabbrica is primarily responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of Saint Peter’s Basilica, but the Mosaic Studio is responsible for artwork found at many sites across Rome.  Papal Medallions, Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls Photo by Pymouss From Wikimedia Commons, used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license The photo above shows the medallions for the last four popes (from right to left): John Paul I, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis. The roundel for Pope Leo XIV will be placed next to that of Pope Francis (the photo appears to show a space for the next mosaic). The medallion depicting Pope Leo measures 137 centimeters (about 54 inches) in diameter and was created using glass enamels and gold on a metal base. When installed, it will be approximately 13 meters (over 40 feet) above the floor of the basilica. Due to copyright restrictions, we do not have a picture of the new papal medallion in this article, but by clicking on the Vatican News reference below, the reader can find a portrait of Pope Leo standing next to his medallion. The article did not provide a date for the installation of the new mosaic, but the likeness of the 267th pope will soon take its place with those of the others from the past 2000 years. REFERENCES: |
