Reflections on Beauty

Radio Vaticana - Vatican News

Reflections on Beauty - A podcast on the four Papal Basilicas, ideally accompanying pilgrims through the most significant places of the Roman pilgrimage. - Podcast - Radio Vaticana - Vatican News

  1. 12/16/2025

    Borromini's reconstruction

    The basilicas built on the tombs of the apostles Peter and Paul were completely rebuilt at specific moments in history. How, then, should we interpret the current appearance of Rome's cathedral, the Basilica of St. John Lateran? The attentive visitor will be able to read it like a book: its architectural body, in fact, bears the traces of the entire history of the Church of Rome. Listen to Dr. Johana Bronkova, art historian and journalist for the Dicastery for Communication...

    12 min

  2. 12/16/2025

    The diverse faces of St. Paul

    Father Edmund Power OSB, abbot emeritus of the Abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls, recounts details and secrets of the Basilica: the imposing and self-sufficient St. Paul of the 19th century, but also the weak and suffering St. Paul near the Crucifix. And then there is a holy water font that hides a secret in the face of Satan and, to balance this dark presence, his counterpart, St. Benedict and his battle against the Evil One....

    18 min

  3. 12/16/2025

    The wonders of early Christian art

    In the second chapter of the first letter of St. Peter, Christians are compared to “living stones,” which together constitute the spiritual house of God. The early Christian mosaic is also a symbol of the great “spiritual edifice,” composed of thousands and thousands of pictorial elements, within which all the tiles and colors play a fundamental role... Listen to Andreas Raub, Artistic-Scientific Director of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

    10 min

  4. 12/16/2025

    Francesca Bresciani

    A strong and daring woman who was not afraid to challenge the man who, in those years, was considered the master of the world. Francesca Bresciani, the artisan chosen by Bernini himself because she was considered more talented than her colleagues, worked for three years on the decoration of the tabernacle of the Holy Sacrament. And she did not hesitate to rebel when Bernini cut her pay by 50% Listen to Dr. Assunta Di Sante of the Fabbrica di San Pietro.

    9 min

  5. 07/25/2025

    Artists and craftswomen in St. Peter's Basilica

    Among the many records and highlights of the Basilica built over the tomb of the Apostle Peter, one surprising fact stands out: since the 1500s, a significant number of female artists and craftswomen have been employed in roles traditionally considered the exclusive domain of men. But who are these women working for the Fabbrica di San Pietro? Listen to Dr. Assunta Di Sante of the Fabbrica di San Pietro.

    7 min

  6. 07/25/2025

    The Donation of Constantine

    Everyone has heard in school about the so-called Donation of Constantine, often presented as the archetype of a forged document intended to alter history. However, not everyone knows that the apocryphal nature of this imperial edict was exposed by Lorenzo Valla (1407–1457), a humanist and canon of the Lateran Basilica. Listen to Don Andrea Lonardo, Director of the Catechetical Office and the Catechumenate Service of the Diocese of Rome.

    10 min

  7. 07/24/2025

    The Easter Candelabrum

    A magnificent 12th-century Easter Candelabrum, now positioned near the altar above the tomb of the Apostle Paul, narrates the entire story of salvation through symbolic imagery. It evokes the Tree of Life, carved in living stone, and also alludes to the pillar of fire that guided the people of Israel through the desert toward the Promised Land. Listen to Father Edmund Power OSB, Abbot Emeritus of the Abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

    8 min

  8. 07/24/2025

    La Sperduta

    Legend has it that a pilgrim arrived at the gates of Rome at night and got lost. She prayed to the Virgin Mary for help, and at that moment, she heard the bells of Santa Maria Maggiore ringing. The bell, forged in 1289, was thus given the name “La Sperduta” and came to symbolize Mary as a guide and signpost. Listen to Andreas Raub, Artistic-Scientific Director of the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

    14 min
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About

Reflections on Beauty - A podcast on the four Papal Basilicas, ideally accompanying pilgrims through the most significant places of the Roman pilgrimage. - Podcast - Radio Vaticana - Vatican News

Information

  • Creator
    Radio Vaticana - Vatican News
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Dicasterium pro Communicatione
  • Show Website
    Reflections on Beauty