DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.33567#0212
CHAPTER V.
RE-ERECTION OF THE VATICAN OBELISK.
BY LIEUTENANT SEATON SCHROEDER, UNITED STATES NAVY.
IT N the Piazza di San Pietro stands the largest entire obelisk out of Egypt, and the second in size in
-L the world. The one that surpasses it in height is that of Queen Hatasou at Karnak. The
tallest ever quarried, that of St. John Lateran, is now in three pieces, having shared the general
destruction that befell those monuments in Rome.
Brought from Heliopolis by the Emperor Caligula early in the first century of the Christian era,
the Vatican obelisk was originally set up in the Circus of Caligula, afterward named the Circus of
Nero, the scene of the Christians' martyrdom. There it remained undisturbed for fifteen centuries, the
only one of all those now to be seen in the papal city that escaped being overthrown. It is
probable that but for its timely transplantation it would soon have shared the fate of its companions in
exile, for when examined by Fontana in i585, it was found to be leaning toward the neighboring
Basilica of St. Peter's, the summit being seventeen inches from the perpendicular.
Standing on a pedestal hidden in rubbish, in a muddy, unfrequented quarter of the city rarely
visited by the travellers that flocked annually to Rome, it contributed little to the decoration of the
modern capital, and several of the popes entertained the idea of setting it up in some more
conspicuous place. Prominent among them was Nicholas V, who also first undertook to replace the
Basilica of Constantine the Great by a new and more extensive building, which, in the course of three
centuries and a half, became the present magnificent pile designated by Gibbon as " the most glorious
structure that ever has been applied to the use of religion." The project was revived at various times,
but the obstacles appeared so enormous, that it was as often abandoned. It was reserved for Sixtus
V, to display the unconquerable zeal and tenacity of purpose necessary to smooth away all difficulties.
Animated by great religious fervor, inspired by a wish to destroy all vestiges of idolatry, and purify the
obelisks and all other monuments erected by the pagans in honor of their gods, he determined to begin
with this superb shaft, and purge it of its stains by making it serve to support the holy cross. His
purpose was to transform the column of Sesostris into a Christian monument, and make it a trophy of
Christ.
A commission was convened of distinguished prelates and savants to deliberate upon the most
appropriate site, and more particularly upon the best method of effecting its removal. This body met
on the 24th of August, i585, but the members fell to generalizing and discussing vague principles, and
came to no conclusion. Nothing daunted by this failure, the pope issued an appeal to the lights and
talent of the century, offering a prize for the best plan. Over 5oo persons attended this second meeting,
which took place on the 18th of September of the same year; Milan, Venice, Florence, Lucca, Sicily,
even Rhodes and Greece were represented in the assembly, and every one present had a drawing, a
no
RE-ERECTION OF THE VATICAN OBELISK.
BY LIEUTENANT SEATON SCHROEDER, UNITED STATES NAVY.
IT N the Piazza di San Pietro stands the largest entire obelisk out of Egypt, and the second in size in
-L the world. The one that surpasses it in height is that of Queen Hatasou at Karnak. The
tallest ever quarried, that of St. John Lateran, is now in three pieces, having shared the general
destruction that befell those monuments in Rome.
Brought from Heliopolis by the Emperor Caligula early in the first century of the Christian era,
the Vatican obelisk was originally set up in the Circus of Caligula, afterward named the Circus of
Nero, the scene of the Christians' martyrdom. There it remained undisturbed for fifteen centuries, the
only one of all those now to be seen in the papal city that escaped being overthrown. It is
probable that but for its timely transplantation it would soon have shared the fate of its companions in
exile, for when examined by Fontana in i585, it was found to be leaning toward the neighboring
Basilica of St. Peter's, the summit being seventeen inches from the perpendicular.
Standing on a pedestal hidden in rubbish, in a muddy, unfrequented quarter of the city rarely
visited by the travellers that flocked annually to Rome, it contributed little to the decoration of the
modern capital, and several of the popes entertained the idea of setting it up in some more
conspicuous place. Prominent among them was Nicholas V, who also first undertook to replace the
Basilica of Constantine the Great by a new and more extensive building, which, in the course of three
centuries and a half, became the present magnificent pile designated by Gibbon as " the most glorious
structure that ever has been applied to the use of religion." The project was revived at various times,
but the obstacles appeared so enormous, that it was as often abandoned. It was reserved for Sixtus
V, to display the unconquerable zeal and tenacity of purpose necessary to smooth away all difficulties.
Animated by great religious fervor, inspired by a wish to destroy all vestiges of idolatry, and purify the
obelisks and all other monuments erected by the pagans in honor of their gods, he determined to begin
with this superb shaft, and purge it of its stains by making it serve to support the holy cross. His
purpose was to transform the column of Sesostris into a Christian monument, and make it a trophy of
Christ.
A commission was convened of distinguished prelates and savants to deliberate upon the most
appropriate site, and more particularly upon the best method of effecting its removal. This body met
on the 24th of August, i585, but the members fell to generalizing and discussing vague principles, and
came to no conclusion. Nothing daunted by this failure, the pope issued an appeal to the lights and
talent of the century, offering a prize for the best plan. Over 5oo persons attended this second meeting,
which took place on the 18th of September of the same year; Milan, Venice, Florence, Lucca, Sicily,
even Rhodes and Greece were represented in the assembly, and every one present had a drawing, a
no