EROS in SAINT PETER’S BASILICA
All roads lead to Rome
http://soli.inav.net/~catalyst/inspire/wonder.htm, The Seven Wonders of the World:
1. Egypt's Great Pyramids,
2. Taj Mahal,
3. Grand Canyon,
4. Panama Canal,
5. Empire State Building,
6. St. Peter's Basilica,
7. China's Great Wall.
Art and Archaeology of Rome: From Ancient Times to the Baroque, Augenti, 2000, pp. 186-187, “St. Peter’s” (Eros holding the keys):
http://www.wga.hu/index1.html, Sculptures from the 1620s, “The Baldacchino”:
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BERNINI,
Gian Lorenzo |
Rome 1300: On the Path of the Pilgrim, Kessler / Zacharias, 2000, pp. 200-201, “The Two Apostolic Basilicas”:
P. 201, figure 205, “Saint Peter’s, pergola”:
History of Art, Janson, 1997, p. 568, figure 755, “The Meeting of Pope Leo I and Attila. 1646”:
http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/Fm.html:
The Throne of Saint Peter, 1657-66, marble, white and gilt stucco, and stained glass, overall height about 100 feet, Saint Peter's Basilica, Vatican, Rome. Many Erotics.
http://lpn.rotospeed.net/tertium_millennium.htm?rome_06:
Rome Saint Peter's Basilica : Bernini worked the impressive bronze canopy over the papal altar, which is directly above the tomb of Peter.
http://www.danbeebe.com/insidestpeters.htm, Inside St. Peter’s Basilica, “The Baptistery”:
http://www.planetware.com/photos/SCV/SCV265.HTM, St Peter’s dome interior, Vatican City:
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/pics/0046/P4635.JPG (via http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios1669-ii.htm), The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, “ALTIERI, Emilio Bonaventura (1590-1676)”:
his tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome
http://www.eudistes.org/75o_canonisacion_Juan_Eudes.htm, “Estatua de san Juan Eudes en la Basilica San Pedro, Roma”:
Here are Erotes around the time of Christ in pagan art:
Here’s Eros sleeping in pagan art:
Here’s Eros in Pompeii:
Another:
For all you skeptical folks still remaining, is this a sculpture of Eros?
How about this:
… Sure, if you’re rootin’ for the Phillies.
http://www.frcedric.org/Italy31.htm, Italian Pilgrimage May 14, 2002, St Peter’s Basilica:
http://www.johndesalvo.com/Italy/rome.htm, Rome, “The Vatican / Statues atop the Vatican”:
http://www.wga.hu/index1.html, Sculptures from the 1620s, “Tomb of Pope Urban VIII”:
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BERNINI,
Gian Lorenzo
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http://sandy-travels.com/vatican.shtml, Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, Sistine Chapel:
http://rubens.anu.edu.au/new/stereo.source7Gb/italy/rome/churches/s_peters/tombs/in/25L.JPG:
Again, for all you skeptics, this is a picture of what Eros (the symbol of sexual love) does not look like:
Pope John Paul II blesses the altar during a ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.
http://mamacass.ucsd.edu:8080/people/lwayne/italy_st_peters.jpg (via http://mamacass.ucsd.edu:8080/people/lwayne/interests.html), “St. Peter’s Basilica – Vatican City”:
They’re just all over the place in there, near and far – quite an erotic representation, “literally.”
http://www.marlaine.com/personal/Tour2000/Rome_1/Rome_1.htm, Rome:
http://jhphotos.stevenhasty.com/photos/Rome/, John Hasty’s Online Photo Gallery - Rome, “St. Peter’s Basilica”:
http://www.catholic-forum.com/churches/cathteach/Rome_Pictures_1999.htm, Rome_Pictures_1999:
Holy Water Font in St. Peter’s
So, how did Eros become such an icon in the Catholic Church? Simply because of the “earlier” work that the artists continually went by, that’s how.
http://www.danbeebe.com/insidestpeters.htm, Inside St. Peter’s Basilica, “Holy Water Font”:
http://www.planetware.com/photos/SCV/SCV271.HTM (via http://www.planetware.com/photos/PHSCV.HTM),
Baroque cherubs hold holy water font within St Peter's Church, Vatican.
http://economads.com/log20010108-20010201.php, “Saint Peter’s Basilica”:
Sure, they look a little alike.
http://www.miraclemission.com/Pilgrimage/Us_&_FrPeterInBasilica.gif:
http://almandine.geol.wwu.edu/~dave/personal/honeymoon/june07/june07.html:
Heather with two cherubs that hold a basin of holy water
http://www.etrav.com/pathways/html/stpeters.asp, St. Peter’s – Rome, Italy:
To give you some idea of the magnitude and scope of St. Peter's, look at the cherubs over the holy water fonts. They probably look like tiny little sculptures, but the sole of one of their feet is about as long as your arm.
http://www.stpetersbasilica.org/Interior/Nave/Nave.htm, “From: 'St. Peter's - Guide to the Basilica and Square'”:
At the beginning of the central nave the visitors' gaze is attracted to two holy water stoups that provide a clue to the basilica's real size: the cupids which seem small are in fact 2 m. tall.
Is this Eros lookin’ up at ya’?
Is this Eros lookin’ down at cha?
Could this be him a-lookin’ at you from the side?
That a boy, keep doin’ that Baptism to as many different nationalities as possible!
