Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini – The Vatican Throne

What is the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini? Where is the Chair of St. Peter located? What is so important about this Vatican throne? All of these questions, and more, will be answered throughout this article. We will discuss the history of this throne, the life of the man after whom it is named, the design and designer of the casing that protects it, and the present uses of the first pope’s throne. Let’s get into it and learn what we can about the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini!

A Look at the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is a holy relic of the Catholic faith that is located in the famous St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. This Vatican throne is meant to be the throne that belonged to Saint Peter the Apostle, the figure who is considered by the Catholic church to be the first Pope. After the death of Jesus Christ, he was the leader of the early, pre-schism Christian church, and this chair was supposedly his.

As with many holy relics throughout the world, the historicity of this particular chair is rather dubious. The chair itself is, supposedly, from the early years of the Common Era while the encasing was constructed between 1647 and 1653 by the famed artist and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. He did not create the chair itself though. If he did, then this chair would not be a holy relic.

Main Altar and baldachin of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Altar of the Chair of Saint Peter in the background (2016); Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

According to the last pope, at the time of writing, Pope Benedict XVI, the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is meant to be a symbol of unification of the Christian faith under Saint Peter the Apostle and those who would follow in his wake. However, as this is generally considered to be a Catholic relic than one necessarily venerated by the Christian faith’s many denominations, this may not necessarily be all that accurate.

However, where is the Chair of St. Peter located within St. Peter’s Basilica? The actual location of the first pope’s throne is in the apse of St. Peter’s Basilica which is situated behind the main altar. It is also visible from the nave of the church as it is a large design that is part of a massive encasing that covers much of the wall against which it is set. 

This location allows it to appear particularly magnificent and to serve as a reminder of the authority of the Pope and the Catholic church.

The History of the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is claimed to be the chair of the first pope, Saint Peter the Apostle, but there are issues with authenticity as is the case with many religious relics around the world. The first pope’s throne came into the Vatican’s possession through Emperor Charles the Bald. He gave the chair to the church, and specifically to the pope at the time, Pope John VIII, in 875 CE. Charles the Bald was the grandson of Charlemagne, the first of the Carolingian emperors, and one of the most successful rulers of medieval Europe.

The chair was handed over to the Vatican to show respect and reverence to the church, but the issue is that we have no idea about the history of the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini before this donation was made. We know that this is how this Vatican throne came into the church’s possession, but where did Charles the Bald attain it? Had it been in his family? Did he acquire it somewhere? We have no idea.

Charles the Bald (c. 1840) by Charles de Steuben; Charles de Steuben, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

There have been arguments made that it may have been an earlier Roman or Byzantine chair or was perhaps even commissioned by Charles the Bald, but all of these arguments have no historical backing to them. The main tradition that has been followed is that it was the actual chair of Saint Peter the Apostle, but that also cannot be verified.

The chair then served as each pope’s throne for some time until it was eventually encased in a gild bronze casing. This large and resplendent container was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This man was a particularly famous artist and sculptor in the Baroque tradition. The casing forms part of a far larger general sculpture and is a massive structure in the apse of St. Peter’s Basilica. The casing was built between 1647 and 1653. The Chair of St. Peter may have originally been used as the actual pope’s throne, but subsequent popes have used an entirely different throne for official purposes. 

The large sculpture and casing are now illuminated every 22nd of February in honor of the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. That is the present function of this famous encased chair.

However, it is worth noting that scientific analyses have been performed on the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. These analyses were performed in 1968 and 1974. The encasing and sculptures needed to be restored and the actual chair was removed from its case. Many experts collaborated to test the chair’s authenticity, and it ultimately showed that the oldest parts of the chair only date back to the 6^th century CE. Seeing as Saint Peter the Apostle died in the 1^st century, this makes it unlikely to have ever served as his personal chair. It is still an ancient relic though, but its existence as a specifically holy relic may not be accurate.

The Life of Saint Peter the Apostle

According to tradition, Saint Peter the Apostle was born in the first year of the Common Era. He was a fisherman and a devout follower of Judaism. He eventually met with Jesus Christ and became his disciple. He would, specifically, become one of the Twelve Apostles. He was given the name Peter as it means “rock”, and he was declared, by Christ, to be the rock upon which the church would be built.

He would become one of the main three Apostles and would often act as a spokesperson for the Apostles as a group. One of the most famous stories about him involves his denial of Christ after Jesus was arrested. However, after the traditional resurrection of Jesus Christ, he was appointed the leader of the church. He would then serve as a missionary as he traveled throughout the region and preached.

Peter the Apostle (1743) by Giuseppe Nogari; Giuseppe Nogari, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

He eventually established a Christian community in Rome and would become the first Bishop of Rome (also known as the Pope). He ultimately appointed his successor before he was ultimately arrested during the persecution enacted by Emperor Nero. He was, much like Jesus, crucified. However, he did not believe himself to be worthy of dying as Jesus had died, and so he was crucified upside down. Interestingly, this is why an upside-down cross is called a Cross of St. Peter and is used by the Vatican to represent the pope. This symbol becoming associated with Satanism and the occult is a rather strange thing because of this. 

The supposed burial site of Saint Peter the Apostle served as the location on which St. Peter’s Basilica was later built. And that was the life of one of the earliest leaders of the Christian church.

The Design of the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The actual Chair of St. Peter is a wooden chair with fabric, ivory trimming, and metal rings. However, the chair itself is encased within a far larger sculpture. The chair itself, because of its immense age, needed to be preserved as wood tends to be rather susceptible to the elements over long periods of time. This chair is entirely encased in a gilt bronze covering.

Self Portrait (1623) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini; Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This casing was designed and constructed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The general shape of the covering somewhat resembles a chair, but it is used as such. The casing makes use of scrolling designs and is held aloft by four large bronze figures. The figures that are depicted include the saints Ambrose, Augustine of Hippo, John Chrysostom, and Athanasius. As these figures are from different Christian traditions, they are meant to be representative of the universality of the church. The casing also makes use of bronze rays that radiate outwards and create a contrasting and spectacular image of movement. Light and shadow play off the highly intricate design and the whole design is flanked by stained-glass windows. The Chair of St. Peter’s position behind the main altar of the church also ensures that it is always in view.

The Creator of the Chair of St. Peter

What about the man behind the casing? What about Gian Lorenzo Bernini? This famous artist and sculptor was born in 1598 and would follow in the footsteps of his father, who was also a sculptor. They worked together on some of his early works in Rome, but he would soon establish himself as a fantastic sculptor who would go on to surpass his father.

Over the course of his career, he worked for eight separate popes as well as many other cardinals and aristocrats.

Some of his most famous work in Rome includes the many fountains that he designed, such as the Fountain of the Four Rivers. He would also go on to be considered one of the founders of Baroque sculpture. Aside from his design of fountains and the encasing for the Chair of St Peter, he also designed the Baldacchino, which is the canopy that covers the main altar in St. Peter’s Basilica. His work is found throughout Rome and has become some of the most notable instances of Baroque sculpture in the world.

The Present Uses of the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is predominantly used today for symbolic reasons. It sits in the apse of St. Peter’s Basilica behind the main altar and is therefore a part of the structure in general. However, it is no longer used as an actual chair as the pope’s throne is a separate and distinct chair. Otherwise, the Chair of St. Peter is used in the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. On that day, which is on the 22^nd of February, the sculpture is illuminated, and it is open to public veneration. This particular day is a celebration of Saint Peter the Apostle being chosen by Jesus Christ to sit in his place as the authority of the Catholic Church as the first pope.

Main Altar and baldachin of Saint Peter’s Basilica (2016); Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

With that, we come to the conclusion of our discussion about the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This famous encased chair has become an important part of the liturgical tradition of the Catholic church, and in this article, we have examined various aspects of it. We have looked at its history, the man after whom it is named, who designed the encasing, and the present uses of the chair. Hopefully, this means that you have learned a lot about the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini today. It truly is a gorgeous artifact, even if the claims about its holy nature have been somewhat exaggerated. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini?

This chair is a wooden chair that is encased in a sculpted bronze casing. The chair, according to tradition, was used by Saint Peter the Apostle. However, the casing was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This stunning artifact has been venerated by the Vatican ever since it was gifted to them by Emperor Charles the Bald.

Where Is the Chair of St. Peter Located?

The Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini is located in the apse of St. Peter’s Basilica. This is set at the back of the church and is behind the main altar. It is considered to be the second altar of the church.

Where Did the Chair of St. Peter by Gian Lorenzo Bernini Come From?

The Chair of St. Peter was gifted to the Vatican by Emperor Charles the Bald. He gave it to the pope at the time, Pope John VIII, in 875 CE. However, we do not know where Charles the Bald acquired the chair from in the first place. Tradition claims that it was the chair of Saint Peter the Apostle, but scientific analysis of the chair places it in the 6^th century CE at the earliest.

Who Designed the Chair of St. Peter?

We do not know who designed the actual wooden chair, but we do know who designed the casing of this Vatican throne. The casing was designed and created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. This man was a particularly famous artist and sculptor in the 17th century, and is often best known for the many fountains he designed throughout Rome.

What Is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter?

This is a liturgical celebration that occurs every year on the 22nd of February. The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter is a commemoration of Saint Peter the Apostle being entrusted with the leadership of the early church after the death of Jesus Christ. This celebration is distinct from the 29th of June, the day on which Saint Peter’s martyrdom is commemorated.

Justin van Huyssteen( Novelist, Academic and Educator )

Justin van Huyssteen is a freelance writer, novelist, and academic originally from Cape Town, South Africa. At present, he has a bachelor’s degree in English and literary theory and an honor’s degree in literary theory. He is currently working towards his master’s degree in literary theory with a focus on animal studies, critical theory, and semiotics within literature. As a novelist and freelancer, he often writes under the pen name L.C. Lupus.

Justin’s preferred literary movements include modern and postmodern literature with literary fiction and genre fiction like sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, and horror being of particular interest. His academia extends to his interest in prose and narratology. He enjoys analyzing a variety of mediums through a literary lens, such as graphic novels, film, and video games.

Justin is working for artincontext.org as an author and content writer since 2022. He is responsible for all blog posts about architecture, literature and poetry.

Learn more about Justin van Huyssteen and the Art in Context Team.