Location on North Colonnade

   

3. St. Petronilla - Virgin
The 140 Saints of the Colonnade

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St Petronilla Altar
Saints 1-21
Saints 22-44
Saints 45-70
Saints 71-96
Saints 97-119
Saints 120-140

 

Altar of St Petronilla


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St Petronilla on the colonnade in St Peter's Square

St Petronilla - Virgin and Martyr
Died - unknown

Feastday - 31 May
Mass on her feastday in St. Peter's is offered at her altar for France and attended by French residents of Rome.

Statue created - c.1666
The statue was placed in September 1666.

Sculptor - Unknown
The statue like others in this area is not attributable to any sculptor in the Bernini workshop.

Height - 3.1 m. (10ft 4in) Travertine

She was traditionally thought to be the daughter of St Peter, though this appears only be a similarity of names.  In 757 her remains were transferred to a 4th century mausoleum near St Peter's. This building became the Chapel of St Petronilla and the burial place for French kings.  Michelangelo's Pieta was first placed in this chapel in 1500.

The Roman Martyrology 2004 states she was Virgin and Martyr buried at the catacomb of Domitilla on Via Ardeatina.

Saints atop the north colonnade, entrance to St Peter's Square
North Colonnade Entrance

 

 

St Petronilla (center) at the entrance to the North Colonnade

3. St Petronilla

2. St Leonard



North Colonnade Saints  (10) - (2)
St Petronilla beside Pope Alexander VII's Coat of Arms
St Petronilla and the Alexander VII Coat of Arms

 

Sources:
The Book of Saints, ©2002 Edited by Dom Basil Watkins, OSB
Le statue berniniani del Colonnato di San Pietro, ©1987 by de Luca Editore s.t.l.

 

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