👑 The wooden throne, known as the Chair of St. Peter, was a gift from Emperor Charles the Bald (the Holy Roman Emperor) to Pope John VIII (the head of the Catholic Church) in the year 875, showing the strong ties between the empire and the church.
St. Peter's Basilica Tours
🪑 During the Middle Ages, it became a tradition to display St. Peter’s Chair once every year, allowing the faithful to see this important symbol of the pope’s authority and the church’s long history.
🕊️ When a new pope was elected, part of the ceremony included seating him on this ancient chair, marking the beginning of his role as the spiritual leader of the Catholic Church.
For the Catholic Church, the Chair of St. Peter is a deeply sacred relic. According to tradition, St. Peter himself once sat on this chair while preaching to early Christians. Whether or not the chair is truly from his time is debated by archaeologists, but it has been treated as a major symbol of Peter’s legacy since the first century, after his death.
Originally, the chair was kept safe in the monastery of St. Martin. It stayed there for centuries until it was finally brought to its new home in St. Peter’s Basilica. Over time, the chair was carefully studied and preserved, with the last detailed examination happening in 1968. To protect and honor it, Pope Alexander VII asked the artist Bernini in 1647 to create a grand setting for the chair — a project that would later become one of the Basilica’s most famous features.
Bernini finished his stunning design in 1653, and the completed St. Peter’s Chair was installed in the Basilica’s apse by 1666. He encased the wooden throne in a rich gilded bronze structure, supported by towering statues of four Doctors of the Church, the great early theologians (Ambrose, Augustine, Athanasius, and John Chrysostom) whose writings shaped Christian doctrine. Above it, an alabaster window pours soft light onto the chair, while angels hover nearby holding the Papal Tiara and the Keys of St. Peter. Bernini’s clever design even makes the entire chair seem as if it’s floating in midair, adding to its sense of mystery and awe.
Every year on February 22, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. This special day honors Peter’s authority as the first pope and his role in building the Church. Originally, two different dates were observed, connected to Peter’s early preaching in Rome. But in 1962, Pope John XXIII officially set February 22 as the single day to celebrate this historic and spiritual symbol.
When is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter celebrated?
Bernini was tasked with preserving the sacred chair and chose gilded bronze for its covering, a material that adds both strength and beauty. His design was intricately detailed, following the Baroque style of the time, and included symbolic elements from the Bible as well as references to the Papacy. The golden glow of the bronze frame makes the chair feel even more divine and significant.
The Chair of St. Peter dates back to the 1st century.
St. Peter was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and is widely regarded as the first Pope of the Catholic Church. He preached his faith in Rome but was eventually sentenced to death by crucifixion by Emperor Nero.
It is widely believed that the wooden chair encased inside Bernini’s St. Peter’s Chair (Cathedra Petri) is the same one St. Peter used during his time as bishop of Rome — but this is more tradition than proven fact.
It took Bernini six years to complete the Chair of St. Peter.
The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter is celebrated every year to honor the authority of the Apostle and his contributions to the Church.
The Feast of the Chair of St. Peter is celebrated on February 22 every year.
