News from Italy
Rome celebrato Santi Pietro e Paolo
On June 29, various Italian regions celebrate the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, in honour of the martyrdom of the two apostles in Rome. From North to South, there is a swarm of religious celebrations, fairs and festivals that pay homage to them.
On June 29 of each year, Rome celebrates Saints Peter and Paul, patrons of the city and founders of the new Christian Rome. The Patrons of Rome, but also the apostles of the faith who, both in the Eternal City, found death during the persecutions of the first Christians, one beheaded at Tre Fontane and the other crucified upside down (by will of the victim who considered himself unworthy of a death like Christ) on the Vatican Hill, where the Circus of Caligula was, of which the current obelisk in St. Peter’s Square, 400 meters to the west, was the center of the spina. On their tombs, two of the current four papal basilicas were later built. The iconography of these two historical figures – because their life and death are certain – is also essential: Saint Peter is always portrayed with a round, curly beard and in his hand the classic keys to the Kingdom of Heaven given to him by Jesus, and Peter, the apostle of the Gentiles, with the pointed beard typical of intellectuals and holding a book and a sword in his hands.
On this day, a solemn mass in St. Peter’s Basilica (9:30 am) will open with the blessing of the Sacred Palliums, those stoles made with the wool of lambs blessed on the day of St. Agnes and then raised and sheared in the Monastery of the Three Fountains and then woven by the nuns of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere and then placed at Vespers on June 28, in the Pallium niche on the tomb of St. Peter for the ancient sacredness of contact. This symbol, representing the weight of the lamb on the shepherd’s shoulders, as well as full communion with the Pope, is worn by metropolitan archbishops only within their diocese. Only the Pope wears it in all ceremonies.
St. Peter’s Basilica is dressed for the occasion: on the large gate is placed the Fisherman’s net made of woven boxwood; At the foot of the great papal altar on the stairs leading down to the Confession, an eighteenth-century carpet woven by the Roman Princesses is laid out – only on this day; On the altar are the gilded bronze statues of Peter and Paul and the statue of Jesus handing the keys to Peter. But above all, there is the statue of Saint Peter dressed in pontifical vestments with the red Cope, the Fisherman’s ring and the Papal Tiara in place of the halo, which is removed. A dressing that takes place twice a year: on this occasion and for the feast of the Chair of Saint Peter.
Unmissable events and celebrations take place throughout the capital. Let’s discover the most beautiful and evocative traditions.
The main event takes place on the morning of June 29 in St. Peter’s Square. Here, the solemn Mass presided over by the Holy Father is held, during which the blessing of the Pallia, the liturgical garments intended for the new metropolitan archbishops, also takes place.
The celebrations begin on the night between June 28 and 29 with an evocative prayer vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica. The following day, Sunday, the 29th, the Holy Mass of the Solemnity takes place at the Pantheon, marking the central moment of the religious festival. Among the most fascinating events is the historic flower festival of Rome, which throughout the day decorates Via della Conciliazione with spectacular floral compositions.
Also of great interest is the “Quo Vadis” walk-event, which offers two itineraries: “the Way of Paul” and “the Way of Peter”, a spiritual and cultural journey through the symbolic places of the two apostles in Rome, arriving in St. Peter’s Square. To conclude the celebrations, one of the most anticipated events: the traditional Girandola of Castel Sant’Angelo.
Non si possono separare Pietro e Paolo: sono i due fondamenti della Chiesa
La tradizione cristiana li ha sempre celebrati insieme, mai uno senza l’altro. La Chiesa di Roma è legata in modo speciale a questi due Apostoli, che sono stati testimoni diretti della vita di Gesù.
Pietro era un galileo, un pescatore che viveva a Cafarnao, sul lago di Tiberiade, riconoscibile dal suo accento. Paolo invece era un ebreo della diaspora, nato a Tarso (in Asia Minore), fariseo di formazione, ma anche cittadino romano: un fatto molto particolare per l’epoca.
Le loro vite cambiarono radicalmente quando incontrarono Gesù. Pietro, allora chiamato Simone, sentì queste parole: “Tu sei Simone, il figlio di Giovanni; ti chiamerai Cefa (che vuol dire Pietro)” (Gv 1, 42). Lasciò la sua barca, la pesca e la sua famiglia per seguire il Maestro. Paolo, allora chiamato Saulo, udì la voce di Cristo: “Saulo, Saulo, perché mi perseguiti?” (Atti 9, 4) e, da persecutore dei cristiani, si mise al servizio degli Apostoli.
A Pietro fu affidata la guida della Chiesa: “Tu sei Pietro e su questa pietra edificherò la mia Chiesa” (Mt 16, 18). Paolo, invece, divenne l’Apostolo che portò il Vangelo ai popoli non ebrei.
Entrambi morirono martiri a Roma per amore di Cristo: Pietro venne crocifisso, Paolo decapitato.
Pietro, simbolicamente rappresentato con le chiavi, e Paolo con la spada, sono sempre stati uniti nella missione della Chiesa, nella liturgia e nell’arte.
From an idea by Michelangelo, perfected by Bernini, the fireworks display was introduced in 1481 and has been a source of inspiration for writers and artists over the centuries. The show, which stimulated the creativity of literary giants such as Dickens and Belli, and artists like Piranesi, testifies to the profound cultural impact of this event, inspiring generations of creative minds.
A fountain of bright sparks embracing Castel Sant’Angelo. On the occasion of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, on the evening of Saturday, 29 June, the “Historical Re-enactment of Michelangelo’s Girandola” returned. According to tradition, the fireworks display originated around the 15th century, from an idea by Michelangelo Buonarroti to celebrate the founding saints of the Church and patrons of the city of Rome. In 1481, it was built on the Terrazza dell’Angelo to celebrate the pontificate of Pope Sixtus IV. It formed a pinwheel that ended with a fountain of fires that flowed onto the monument. The best places to watch the show, such as Lungotevere Tor di Nona and the Vittorio Emanuele II, Sant’Angelo and Umberto I bridges, offer breathtaking views.
