Saint Peter Necropolis Research Paper

Due to the significance of Saint Peter, the Necropolis found underneath Vatican City becomes critical to the Christian faith. Saint Peter was crucified in Nero’s Circus (“Circuses of Rome”). On this location, Constantine built the original Saint Peter’s Basilica with the purpose of providing both an extravagant monument to the first of Christ’s disciples and protection of the location of Saint Peter’s supposed burial (“History”). During construction, massive quantities of earth had to be moved to level the side of the hill upon which the Basilica would be erected; the Necropolis was actually filled in entirely with earth. In the 1940s, Pope Pius XII ordered excavations to occur beneath the Basilica to ascertain the material underneath (“Necropolis

One significant question arises from the discovery of the Necropolis: can this truly be considered the spot of Saint Peter’s tomb? The most important discovery associated with the excavations of the Necropolis was the “trophy of Gaius.” This monument, shaped like an aedicule – a temple – historically marks the graves of the apostles (“Necropolis ‘Scavi’ The Shrine of St Peter ‘Trophy of Gaius’”). In the present case, it would mark the tomb of Saint Peter. The Ecclesiastical History written by Eusebius writes the following: “But I can show the trophies of the apostles. For if you will go to the Vatican or to the Ostian way, you will find the trophies of those who laid the foundations of this church” (“Church History Book II”). This further shows that the “trophy” discovered at the Necropolis marks the grave of Saint Peter. Aside from the “trophy of Gaius” marking the tomb as Saint Peter’s, the Necropolis features the “graffiti wall.” The “graffiti wall” offers a perspective on the pilgrimage associated with the burial site of Saint Peter. The “wall” dates to the third century and shows inscriptions from pilgrims; these inscriptions include Christian symbols, petitions, and names (“Necropolis ‘Scavi’ Graffiti Wall G The Bones