Can You Find the Trinity?

St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican clearly reflects the amazing artistic work from some of the greatest masters and is a fantastic source of spiritual inspiration. The pavilion-like bronze structure, which I learned is called the baldacchino created by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini, was striking to see as we entered. Behind it was a tremendous and dazzling amount of gold, bronze, and filtered sunlight as part of the altar to create the Cathedra Petri, or The Throne of Peter. I was most struck by the oval pane with the dove that was a representation of the Holy Spirit, which was located high above the altar. The light shining through the stain glass around the dove gave a heavenly aura. The gold reaching outwards from the dove, and the surrounding angels, emphasized its significance. The angels also reflected adoration. The Holy Spirit is typically represented as part of the Trinity. Because the Holy Spirit is considered by the Catholic Church to be one of the three persons of the Trinity, it becomes a focal point at St. Peter’s. The dove, or Holy Spirit which guides the Church, was high above everything and draws attention. The entire view of the shining altar, the lighting, and the preeminent location of the dove as the Holy Spirit creates an especially dramatic experience. I felt the power of the Church and noted the significance of grace and faith. The visual representations magnify the emotional intensity of the viewer and bring to mind the importance of God, whose presence was reflected throughout the surroundings. Although the painted stucco ceiling that was part of the dome overhead was hard to fully appreciate because it was far and high above our heads, we could make out depictions of Jesus among the representations. The dome acted as a magnificent, heavenly sky. The overall visual impact of everything around and above the altar suggested a call to understand Jesus and reflect upon the Trinity. The moving view of the altar also increased an appreciation for everything else in the Basilica, such as the sculpture of the Pieta by Michelangelo, which represents the Virgin Mary cradling the dead Jesus after the crucifixion. It is no wonder that St. Peter’s is so highly visited by Catholics as well as non-Catholics.