Artist: Bernini

Date: 1627 ca.

 

• Each of the four piers are dedicated to an important relic that is housed in the balcony area above each statue. The decorations were designed by Bernini for Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644). Thus Urban's VIII's coat of arms is at the base. The spiral columns are from the altar of old St. Peter's

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• The relic for this pier is the head of St. Andrew. St. Andrew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. The head was given to Pope Pius II (1448-1464) by Thomas Paleologos in 1462. However, Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) returned it to the Greek Church in 1964