The Pietà

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
May 2026

When I visited the Vatican, although I was astonished by the scale and artistry of the Sistine Chapel, the work I most wanted to see was Michelangelo's Pietà.

There is a human emotion at the center of the sculpture that is difficult to describe. Regardless of one's beliefs, the image of a mother mourning her son remains immediately recognizable.

I chose to keep the reflections in the photograph. The protective glass, installed after the 1972 attack on the sculpture, has become part of the experience of viewing it today.

The nearby inscriptions record that Pope Benedict XIII consecrated the altar in 1727 and granted it the status of a privileged altar, allowing special spiritual benefits to be associated with Masses offered for the faithful departed.