They may be sad memories, the gowns are no longer white, the light of faith has dimmed or perhaps even been extinguished, and we walk in the dark. Promises and commitments have been forgotten. In this chapel, a moment of silence and meditation can help restore hope And faith in life and in ourselves.

Here, amidst much splendor we can easily recall the words of the Lord, "What is it worth to a man conquer the world if he lose his soul?" This means that our soul is worth more than all the masterpieces in the Basilica. It is even more precious than this final monument, the magnificent baptismal font made of an ancient pale red porphyry cone with a splendid gilded bronze cover (by Fontana) decorated with swirling arabesques and leaves on which we can clearly see the Lamb of God, who "takes away the sins of the world."