Before celebrating the opening Mass of the second session of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis had the opportunity to see a relic of the Chair of St. Peter (Cathedra Sancti Petri Apostoli).
According to the Holy See Press Office, the Pope was taken to the Ottoboni sacristy of St. Peter’s Basilica, where the ancient wooden throne symbolizing the primacy of St. Peter has been temporarily placed. This throne has been removed to carry out restoration work on Bernini’s Baldacchino, the famous canopy that sits above the Altar of the Chair, the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, in preparation for the Jubilee of Hope in 2025.
The restoration work is being carried out by the Fabbrica di San Pietro, the Vatican institution currently headed by Mauro Gambetti, which is responsible for the reconstruction, conservation, maintenance, and use of the basilica.
It is noteworthy that Pope Francis is the first Pope to contemplate the Chair of St. Peter. The Fabbrica di San Pietro, under the direction of Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, presented this morning to Francis the ancient wooden throne that symbolizes the primacy of St. Peter, which has been removed for restoration work on the Bernini monument, where it is located at the head of the Vatican Basilica.
This unique experience not only highlights the Pope’s connection to the history of the Church, but also the importance of preserving the Vatican’s artistic and cultural heritage.
