Monument to Pope Urban VIII


On either side of the Chapel of the Cathedra are funerary monuments to two Popes, Urban III and Paul III, patrons of two of the most eminent artists who contributed to the construction of St. Peter's Basilica: Michelangelo and Bernini. Urban VIII (1623-1644) "discovered" the great Neapolitan artist Gianlorenzo Bemini who, with enormous gratitude, dedicated this monument to his patron. The majestic figure of the pope giving a blessing is solemnly dressed in his pontifical robes. Like the monument to Paul III, it is made of bronze, not marble. On either side of the black marble sarcophagus are fine, white marble statues of young women. The first, on the left holding a child in her arms represents Charity who looks sadly at another child pointing at the dead pope. The figure on the left symbolizes Justice who sadly raises her eyes upward to seek comfort from God. In the middle, on the sarcophagus, is a bronze skeleton, Death who holds a scroll with the name of the dead Pope in a bony hand. The three bees of the Barberini family crest are usually arranged symmetrically, here however, they are facing in different directions, disoriented and confused by the death of their sovereign.