Carl Trueman is a professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College and a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center.

 

My wife and I think Rome is the greatest city on earth; we try to go every year. I have told my students that, if I ever won the lottery (unlikely, as I do not play it), classes would immediately be canceled on a permanent basis and I would be in Rome looking to buy property within twenty-four hours of receiving the winnings.

Among the many beautiful artworks in the city, one stands out for me in particular: the Pietà by Michelangelo in St. Peter’s. It is a stunning rendition of Mary cradling the crucified Christ in her arms. The power of the sculpture, intensified by the aura that it receives from being located in that church, cannot be communicated in words. It is a true gem. It is a reminder that Mary’s experience of Christ’s crucifixion would have been unique: She witnessed not only the death of her beloved savior but also of her beloved son. Her heartbroken love suffuses the work. …

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