Vatican Support

Since 1981, the Knights of Columbus has collaborated with the  Reverenda Fabbrica di San Pietro on major restoration and building projects at the St. Peter’s Basilica, including the recent refurbishing of two chapels in the ancient grottoes beneath the basilica. The Fabbrica is the Vatican office responsible for construction and upkeep at St. Peter’s.

The Knight’s of Columbus funded the first major restoration work in 350 years on the 65,000-square-foot facade of St. Peter’s Basilica.

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“Whenever the Knights of Columbus has undertaken a project with the Vatican basilica and the Reverenda Fabbrica di San Pietro, it has done so as a sign of our Order’s loyalty and fidelity to the Church, to the Holy Father as Vicar of Christ and to the memory of St. Peter himself,” said Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson.

“That the Knights of Columbus has been chosen to enjoy this close relationship with St. Peter’s, a symbol of faith and fidelity, is a source of pride to Knights and their families throughout the world.”

Here are highlights of projects undertaken at St. Peter’s Basilica by the Knights of Columbus over the past 25 years.

1981
The first project was not restoration but construction. After Pope John Paul II named Sts. Benedict, Cyril and Methodius as co-patrons of Europe, he desired to create a chapel in their honor in the Vatican Grottoes. The naming of these three saints as co-patrons highlighted a central theme of Pope John Paul’s pontificate, namely the common Christian roots of Europe. A striking feature of the Three Saints Chapel, dedicated by Pope John Paul, is a Carolingian cross commissioned by the Knights from the Italian sculptor Tommaso Gismondi. A replica of this cross hangs in St. Mary’s Church in New Haven, birthplace of the Knights.

Also during 1981 the Knights helped with the enlargement of the Chapel of Our Lady of Czestochowa, adjacent to the Three Saints’ Chapel.

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1985
The second project, and one for which the Order received some renown, was the cleaning and restoration of the entire 65,000-square-foot façade of St. Peter’s Basilica. This was the first major restoration work on the façade in 350 years and took two years to complete. Fissures in the travertine stone were repaired, and stainless steel supports were installed in the 13 statues atop the façade.

In gratitude, John Paul II presented the Order with the large copper cross that was located in the arm of the statue of Christ the Redeemer on the top of the façade. The cross now has a place of honor in the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven.

In addition to the work on the façade, the Order refurbished the famous statues of Sts. Peter and Paul in St. Peter’s Square.

Another initiative during this time period was the subdivision of a space inside the basilica into six rooms where religious and liturgical collections associated with the Fabbrica di San Pietro are displayed. The project was dedicated to Count Enrico Galeazzi, who served as the Order’s Rome representative during most of the 20th century. One of the rooms is named for the Knights of Columbus.

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1993
The Knights next undertook repairs to the roof over the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in St. Peter’s and the restoration of mosaics damaged by leaking water. The mosaics depict the “Mystery of the Eucharist” and date from the 16th century.

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1998-99
On the eve of the Church’s celebration of the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, the Knights of Columbus funded the restoration of St. Peter’s “front door,” the Maderno Atrium, which dates from the early 17th century. This central area to the basilica was cleaned and restored, and the massive bronze Holy Door through which millions of pilgrims processed during the Jubilee Year was also cleaned.

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2002-04

Ceiling mosaic at the Chapel of the Bruised Madonna.

The most recent work undertaken by the Knights was in the Vatican Grottoes. Two chapels honoring Mary – the Chapel of the Bruised Madonna (Madonna della Bocciata) and the Chapel of the Madonna of the Parturient (Madonna della Partorienti) – were restored. The chapels are known for the beautiful images of the Madonna that are found there. Both are fragments of murals from the first St. Peter’s.

The image of the Bruised Madonna is considered miraculous from an event in the 15th century. A soldier, angry about gambling losses, hurled a stone at the image and drops of blood fell. The other chapel features a traditional Madonna and Child especially venerated by pregnant women. The chapels are also decorated with murals of the first St. Peter’s and episodes from his life. In addition, there are interesting inscriptions from the original church.

A semi-circular corridor off the chapels, called the Peribolo of Pope Clement VIII, was also restored. It features wall portraits of several popes. Finally, a chapel with the tomb of Pope Pius XII has been refurbished.

In recognition of the Knights’ efforts, the Vatican has placed several commemorative plaques attesting to the Order’s generosity in restoring many sites in St. Peter’s Basilica. Special medals have also been struck, many of which are displayed at the Knights of Columbus Museum.

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