The Chair of St. Peter

Today the church celebrates the feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, representing the primacy and leadership of the Pope as the Vicar of Christ and successor of St Peter, the first Pope. This leadership is symbolized by the symbolic chair which is situated behind the main altar at the St Peter’s Basilica, a work of art by Bernini, done in 1666. Flanking the symbolic chair are the Western Doctors of the church, St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, as well as the Eastern Doctors of the church St. John Chrysostom and St. Athanasius. Each Cathedral in the world also has a cathedra, or chair of the Bishop, Archbishop or Cardinal that serves in that particular diocese, and that chair symbolizes his leadership of that diocese. The original chair on which St. Peter sat is situated under the symbolic chair by Bernini, but since it is so fragile, it hasn’t been exhibited in over a century.