ANONYMOUS St. Peter’s Basilica, with a capacity of 60,000 people, not only is the largest Christian church in the world but, as a landmark punctuating the Roman skyline, it resides in the same pantheon of immortal city identifiers as the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, or Rio de Janeiro’s mountaintop statue of Christ the Redeemer. St. Peter’s is much more than a landmark, though. It is an icon of the Roman Catholic Church, the venue for religious events presided over by the Pope, and the reputed burial place of the biblical St. Peter. In other words, this magnificent structure stands as one of the most important pieces of religious architecture in the world. It is a sacred space of the highest order. When I visited the basilica for the first time, I joined the long lineup of visitors sweltering in the hot July sun. As we made our way toward the main gate, we endured the inspections of officers of the Vatican Guard who ensured both that we were not carrying contraband and also that we were dressed appropriately.
