The Influence Of St. Peter's Basilica In Rome

For centuries, the papacy and the pope have been around and are a significant aspect of the Italian culture and history. According to Catholic tradition, Jesus founded the papacy in the first century, when he chose St. Peter, the leader of the apostles, to be his earthly representative. "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church," he states in chapter 16 of Matthew. "I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven." Those words, which now circle the dome of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, serve as the biblical mandate for the papacy. All popes are considered symbolic descendants of Peter and are thought to hold "Peter's Chair". The pope presides over the government of the Roman Catholic Church, which is the largest of the three major branches of Christianity. The pope is currently located in the Vatican City near Rome, this is because Peter and Paul were believed to be both martyred in the city of Rome. The name “pope” derives from a Greek word pappas, meaning father. Western bishops were the first to use the word pope for the position. …show more content…
Meaning that they were elected by the clergy and people of the area. After the collapse of the Western Empire in 476, the involvement of the Eastern emperor in papal affairs was gradually replaced by Germanic rulers and leading Roman families. As political instability plagued the old Western Empire in the early Middle Ages, popes were often forced to make concessions to temporal authorities in exchange for protection. After the end of the Byzantine control of Italy in the 8th century, the papacy appealed to the new Germanic rulers for support, serving as a symbol of imperial glory for