Cultural Introduction to Renaissance Rome/Patronage and Popes: Saints or Sinners?

Rome became known as the eternal city; the New Jerusalem of the Promised Land with St. Peter’s Basicala as the new temple; and Rome the head of the world, Roma caput mudi.  From reading the above articles, at one time the Roman Empire was in shambles with a small population living amongst the ruins and for seventy years; the papacy lived in Avignon, France, which they called “Babylonian Captivity”.

During the Renaissance, the papacy returns to Rome and fosters relationships with the humanists, artists and entrepreneurs to rebuild Rome as one of the greatest cultural centers in Europe in art, architecture, oratory, music, and writing.  In addition, the papacy builds an extensive library that holds ancient and modern thought and served as the brain of Renaissance Rome in its articulate memory and its nerve center.

Even though, every fragment of Rome’s past had its story to tell and a spell to enchant through its richness in beauty, there was and still is a boundless power in religion in doing what is right and good for the benefit of all and in doing what is corrupt to gain personal power and indulgence as it was documented during the reign of various popes, especially Julius II, who considered himself to be Julius Caesar.  In addition, the humanists held power as they reemphasizing the power of the word in persuasive and eloquence speech.  Success in law and statesmanship could be measured by the extent that the speaker could convince judges, juries, senates, assemblies and crowds of his position.  Consequently, the language could be so focused with ruthless precision in presenting a believable cause that oftentimes it was not in the best interest of the people and it was for personal gain or an ulterior motive.

Nevertheless, Rome is considered the eternal city with a beautiful and rich culture in history, art and architecture as well as the Christian capital and the papacy’s divinely sanctioned home.