The Basilica of St Francis

Delivery of the Keys

In the third chapel of the left transept there is a Neo-gothic style painting, made by Ricciardo Meacci (1856-1940) in 1892. In the central part, in a mandorla of cherubs, Jesus is portrayed in royal robes while he is giving the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to St. Peter, who is kneeling before him. Next to the Saint there are some sheep, symbolising Christianity in the Church; Jesus turns to Peter with the following words recorded in the Gospel of Matthew: “And I say also unto thee: “ That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ."(Mt 16, 18-20). Christ giving the keys to Saint Peter marked the founding of the Church. Adjacent to the main scene, the artist choose to represent two saints: on the left, St. John the Evangelist (first century AD), a contemporary of Jesus; on the right, St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380), who lived in medieval times. These figures, so different and distant in time, prove that following Jesus is feasible and fascinating for everyone.