The Sampietrini

Built over the course of more than 100 years, St. Peter's bascilica is the baroque jewel in the Vatican crown.

The jewelers who maintain the sacred gem are called the sampietrini, or the men of St. Peter. They take care of the basilica's overwhelming collection—its 44 altars, 27 chapels, 800 chandeliers, 390 statues, 135 mosaics, and its more than 15,000 square meters of marble floor.

Twice per year, the sampietrini clean Bernini's spectacular baldachino, a massive, 95-foot-high (29 meters) bronze canopy that stands above the papal altar.

The sampietrini were founded nearly 400 years ago. Their ability to work the precipitous heights of the basilica and colonnade earned them a reputation as sure-footed acrobats.

On special occasions in the past, like the coronation of a new pope, the sampietrini would prepare the basilica for something called an illumination.

In an astounding display, thousands of lanterns and torches were placed everywhere on the faade and colonnade. Even the precarious pitch of the dome was festooned with lights.

With uncanny timing, the torches were all lit within minutes of each other and the entire monument to St. Peter shimmered in a warm glow.