Click On Red Numbers for Upper Medallions Blue Numbers for Lower Medallions 56 Papal Medalllion Portraits

Welcome Floorplan The Square Documents Images Grottoes Vatican City Colonnade Saints Portico Altars Monuments The History

1. Peter 2. Linus 3. Cletus I 4. Clement I 5. Anacletus I 6. Evaristus 7. Alexander I 8. Sixtus I 9. Telesphorus 10. Hyginus 11. Pius I 12. Anicetus 13. Soter 14. Eleutherius

15. Victor I 16. Zephyrinus 17. Callistus I 18. Urban I 19. Pontian 20. Anterus 21. Fabian 22. Cornelius 23. Lucius I 24. Stephen I 25. Sixtus II 26. Dionysius 27. Felix I 28. Eutychian

29. Caius 30. Marcellinus 31. Marcellus I 32. Eusebius 33. Melchiades 34. Sylvester I 35. Mark 36. Julius I 37. Felix II 38. Damasus I 39. Anastasius I 40. Innocent I 41. Zosimus 42. Boniface I

43. Celestine I 44. Sixtus III 45. Leo I 46. Hilarus 47. Simplicius 48. Felix III 49. Gelasius I 50. Symmachus 51. Hormisdas 52. John I 53. Felix IV 54. Agapitus I 55. Silverius 56. Benedict II

56 of the early sainted popes are represented in chronological order on the piers of the nave and the sides of the lateral chapels. These marble medallions designed by Bernini for Pope Innocent XI were the work of many artists.  The series begins with St Peter, located on a pier next to the Choir Chapel, and concludes with Benedict II on a pier next to the Chapel of the Pieta.  St Benedict II is actually the 81st pope, and several popes are excluded in the series. Both Cletus (3) and Anacletus (5) are included, and there has been a long standing discussion that these may be the same person.