St. Peter's Basilica: Attraction or Church?

Is St. Peter’s Basilica a tourist attraction or a place of worship? Of course it’s not an either/or question – it’s both/and. But I would call it a church that attracts not just tourists, but everyone. Notice I called it a church first, because that is, first and foremost what it is.

If I visit Mecca, I’m there as a visitor to admire a place of worship, not just a fancy location. I felt the same way when I visited the Japanese Shinto and Buddhist temples. You simply can’t deny the sacredness of a place of worship, whether you’re a visitor of a different religion or an atheist. If you don’t believe in God, and you’re visiting a place like St. Peter’s (I’m sure San Pietro is just teeming with people who don’t believe in God), you might deny the presence within yourself, but you’re foolish if you deny the presence in others who are there and understand and believe in God.

So even though there are thousands of people wandering through the Basilica taking snapshots and chatting away, it’s very important to understand that each fresco, every mosaic, all the sculpted stones, bronze and marble is Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.