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“Cleverly done! You too are an industrious and reliable servant” (Mt 25:23)
Built on the Rock of St. Peter MCMLIII - MMIII
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a result of the recent power washing of the seminary building, the cornerstone has become more visible than ever. Hewn from granite rather than travertine marble, the light cornerstone contrasts sharply with the darker tones of the travertine, which was quarried in the 1950s from the famous Tivoli quarries, ten miles east of Rome. These quarries have provided the primary building material for most of Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica. So why is this single stone different and what is the significance of the Latin inscription? The Seminary building of the Pontifical North American College on the Janiculum Hill is a massive building. At the time of its construction, it was the second-largest building constructed in Rome since World War II. The only other larger project was the new train station; the old train station was destroyed by Allied bombing. The new American seminary was an important project not only for the American Catholic Church. It was also an affirmation by the Vatican of the Holy Father’s closeness to the Church in America. The building of this new seminary building was to be the “Capolavoro” or crowning masterpiece of Pope Pius XII’s favorite Vatican Architect, Count Enrico Galleazzi. As construction of the new Pontifical North American College began, another archaeological project was coming to completion. That project, which lasted
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Pontifical North American College
from 1940 to 1956, was the rediscovery and verification of the tomb of St. Peter. In its day it was viewed as the most significant Christian archaeological discovery of the century. Proving that the Basilica was truly built on the tomb of St. Peter himself would reinforce the tradition of the apostolic succession of the papacy from St. Peter to Pope Pius XII. The excavations below St. Peter’s Basilica involved careful removal of fill material dating back to the construction of the original fourth-century church by the Emperor Constantine. Once the excavations were completed, archaeologists had uncovered a necropolis or “City of the Dead” beneath the present Basilica. The ancient cemetery was originally located next to the Circus of Nero, where St. Peter and many others were martyred. Indeed, the tomb of the first Vicar of Christ was discovered to be located directly beneath the present high altar. Our cornerstone is among the foundation stones that Scavi excavators removed during that important project. The Latin inscription indicates that this stone is a symbol of blessings and good wishes brought up from the excavations beneath the Vatican Basilica. We can truly say, then, that our College is built on the rock of St. Peter’s!
MA GA Z I N E
by Rev. Msgr. Mark Svarczkopf ’74 Archdiocese of Indianapolis Vice Rector for Administration