Why a biblical relic caused a miracle of fused metal

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In the 5th century, a gift of iron chains from Jerusalem to Rome sparked a legend of miraculous fusion. This relic, once binding a prisoner, became the centerpiece of a basilica that houses one of the most imposing sculptures of the Renaissance: Michelangelo's Moses.

The Basilica Eudoxiana, now known as San Pietro in Vincoli, was first rebuilt between 432 and 440 to house the chains that bound Saint Peter during his imprisonment in Jerusalem. These chains were a gift from Aelia Eudocia, the mother of Empress Eudoxia, who likely received them from the bishop of Jerusalem around 438–439. The structure was consecrated by Sixtus III in 439 and has undergone numerous renovations, including significant work by Pope Adrian I and in the eleventh century. From 1471 to 1503, Cardinal Della Rovere oversaw a major rebuilding project. This period saw the addition of a front portico by Baccio Pontelli in 1475 and a cloister designed by Giuliano da Sangallo between 1493 and 1503. The vault was later lowered in 1705 by Francesco Fontana.

The church's name, 'Saint Peter in Chains,' directly references the 'Liberation of Saint Peter' narrative. The interior features a nave with an 18th-century coffered ceiling and a fresco by Giovanni Battista Parodi depicting a miracle involving a mythical saint. This scene portrays Pope Alexander healing a neck goiter by touching a woman with the chains. Additionally, the site houses Michelangelo's Moses, which was originally intended for a massive 47-statue funeral monument for Pope Julius II.

The site is steeped in local legend regarding the physical properties of these relics. According to tradition, when Pope Leo I compared the Jerusalem chains to the ones used in Peter's final imprisonment in Rome's Mamertine Prison, the two sets of metal miraculously fused together. This event is commemorated annually on August 1, the same day the tombs of the seven Maccabean martyrs were discovered in 1876. , The Moses statue features horns to represent divine radiance, a common iconographic choice because horns were easier for artists to carve than light beams. The basilica also contains a 7th-century mosaic of Saint Sebastian, which was linked to a plague outbreak in Pavia. This resulted in a parallel cult for the saint in both Pavia and Rome. A link from the original chain has been kept in Rutland, Vermont, since 1894.

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