In Chains for faith : Saint Peter Path in Rome

Saint Peter, born a humble fisherman named Simon who cast his nets in the Sea of Galilee, became the earliest leader of the Christian Church in Judea and is widely regarded as the first Bishop of Rome and the 1^st Pope. He received from Jesus the name Cephas from Aramaic Kepa “Rock” .After the Resurrection the figure of Peter dominated the Christian community. His mission to spread the Gospel led him on a remarkable journey from Jerusalem to Syrian Antioch and to the heart of the Roman Empire. By Pawel

The location where the Chains of St. Peter are kept

Saint Peter in Chains in Musei di Vaticani

Saint Peter’s miraculous escape from a Jerusalem prison is described in Bible by Saint Luke and captured in a stunning wall painting in the Stanze di Rafaello in Musei di Vatican. Raphael presents us fresco “Liberation of Saint Peter “ an evocative recreation of the moment an angel frees Saint Peter from chains. Raphael’s nocturnal painting of Herod’s prison is illuminated by the aureola of an angel and the glow from torches. Saint Peter is depicted in profile, silhouetted at the centre of the painting. The angel stands above a sleeping Saint Peter, gently waking him. Peter is bound with shackles, with long chains connecting him to guards who are asleep against the cell’s walls. The Angel Of Lord set free Apostle from iron chains and safely leads Saint Peter out of the prison.

From Apostle to Rock

The significance of Peter’s arrival in Rome for early Christianity was immense. Still, these were treacherous times for those devoted to Christ. Empire Nero set Rome on fire to clear the land for his Golden House construction, and then shifted blame on Christians for killing great number of people and destroying city. Nero becomes relentless prosecutor of Christian faith. Christians where torn apart by dogs, others were nailed to the crosses and burned alive in the macabre spectacle orchestrated by Nero in his gardens. Christians were presented to Nero’s guest as living torches.

Saint Peter In Chains in San Pietro Di Vicoli

During the reign of Eastern Emperor Theodosius, his wife, Eudocia, went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There, she received a gift from the local Christian community: the iron chains in which Saint Peter had been bound by Herod. Eudocia venerated the chains and sent them to her daughter in Rome. In Rome, the chains were brought before the Pope, who already possessed chains from the Mamertine Prison, where Saint Peter had been imprisoned under Nero. The chain from Rome and the chain from Jerusalem were wrought into one, and since then, they have been held on Esquiline Hill and venerated in the church San Pietro in Vincoli.

In this beautiful Church we can admire ceiling painting of Giovanni Battista Parodi portraying the “Miracle of the Chains from 1706 “

From then on, the celebration of Saint Peter’s chains took the place of a former pagan festival, with the chains becoming a source of miracles. They healed the sick and banished demons.

In 969, a count who was a close friend of Emperor Otto fell under the possession of demon, leading him to harm himself by biting his own flesh. Emperor Otto had him brought to Pontiff John. Upon touching the count’s neck with the holy chain, the evil spirit was expelled, and the count was completely healed. This miraculous event led to widespread veneration of the holy chains throughout Rome.