Cappella Paolina

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The Cappella Paolina (Pauline Chapel) is a famous chapel in the Vatican Palace, which serves as the parish church of the Vatican. It is separated from the Sistine Chapel only by the Sala Regia. It received its name from Pope Paul III, who had it erected in 1540 by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger.

Before 1550 Michelangelo painted two frescoes here, the Conversion of Paul and the Crucifixion of Peter. Other paintings in the chapel are by Lorenzo Sabbatini and Federico Zuccari. The statues in the background are by P. Bresciano.

Before the opening of the conclave the Sacred College assembles in this chapel to attend a sermon in which the members are reminded of their obligation quickly to give to the Church her ablest son as ruler and guide. The cardinals then withdraw to the Sistine Chapel. In the Cappella Paolina are sung daily the conclave Solemn Masses "De Spiritu Sancto", at which all members of the conclave must be present.

[edit] Other "Cappelle Paoline"

Two other chapels with the same name are in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and in the Quirinal Palace, both in Rome.

[edit] Source

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.