Pope Francis to be laid in state at St. Peter’s Basilica: What is this majestic landmark?

Pope Francis’ funeral will be held on Saturday in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican announced Tuesday (April 22). The history’s first Latin American pontiff died at the age of 88 after a stroke on Easter Monday.

The mass, which will start at 10 am local time (1.30 pm IST), will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals. The Vatican also said in its statement that the pope’s coffin would be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica in the square on Wednesday at 9 am (12.30 pm IST) to allow mourners to pay their respects.

Francis’ body, kept in an open wooden casket, will remain at the basilica until the night before the funeral. He will be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, a break from the Vatican tradition.

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What is St. Peter’s Basilica, where Pope Francis will lie in state before his funeral? We will explain.

How construction of St. Peter’s Basilica began

Saint Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus Christ, is widely believed to be the first pope. Roman emperor Constantine built the original St. Peter’s Basilica in the fourth century.
After standing tall for more than 1,000 years, it was in complete ruin by the 15th century.

The election of Nicholas V, a humanist, as pope changed Rome’s fortunes. He is credited with bringing the Renaissance to the country, marking the revival of splendid monuments, literature and art.

According to Rost Architects, he dreamed of building a new basilica on Vatican Hill. However, his plans did not come to fruition until Pope Julius II’s appointment.

The construction of St. Peter’s Basilica, as we know it today, began in 1506 under Pope Julius II and was completed under the papacy of Paul V in 1615.

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Initially, Julius II planned to revamp and expand the existing St. Peter’s. However, he later decided to build a new building.

Julius II picked Italian architect Donato Bramante to construct the new Saint Peter’s Basilica. The pope laid the first stone for the structure in April 1506.

As per Bramante’s plan, the new basilica was to be erected in the form of a Greek cross. However, after the architect’s death, his successors Raphael Sanzio, Fra Giovanni Giocondo and Giuliano da Sangallo revised this plan.

St. Peter’s Basilica is instead designed as a Latin cross with three aisles separated by pillars.

Michelangelo became the chief architect of the basilica in 1546. His design was to build a double-shelled dome, with an inner shell of brick and an outer shell of lead. But he died in 1564, by when the dome remained incomplete.

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What does St. Peter’s Basilica house?

Spread over 23,000 square meters with a height of 136 meters and a length of 218 meters, St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the four most important churches in Rome.

Its dome is one of the world’s largest, with an internal diameter of 42 meters. The mosaic frieze at the base of the dome reads the words in Latin: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and give you the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven”.

The basilica’s marble mosaics, artworks created in Renaissance and Baroque style, tapestries, and columns also inspire awe among the millions of people who visit every year.

Michelangelo’s Pietà depicts the body of Jesus on the lap of his mother Mary after the Crucifixion. Made of Carrara marble, the famous sculpture is housed in the first chapel on the right of the Basilica.

Designed by Bernini, Baldacchino, a 29-meter-tall bronze canopy, towers over the High Altar of the basilica. The altar was built over the tomb of St. Peter.

At the centre of the basilica is the Papal Altar, where only the pope performs Mass.

Vatican Grottoes, a group of underground tombs, can be found beneath Saint Peter’s Basilica. It is the resting place of many of the former popes.

However, Francis chose to be buried in the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome. This is the first time a pope’s final resting place will be outside the Vatican in more than a century.

With inputs from agencies