Beatriz Alonso de Medina
TR: Charlotte Twetten
Did you know that one of the busiest bridges in Rome is, in fact, a journey through the Passion of Christ?
Many people may walk past them without even recognizing what they mean, but every time someone crosses the Bridge of Angels in Rome, they are accompanied by ten angels who, through different objects, allude to the story of the crucifixion.
Each figure represents a specific scene from the Passion: from the column where Christ was tied to be scourged, to the ropes that tied Him, to the crown of thorns, or the veil with which Veronica wiped His face.
The statues are arranged in pairs, guiding the viewer’s gaze from one moment to the next, to create a sort of continuous visual narrative.
As you move forward, key elements of the story appear: the tunic that the soldiers cast lots for, shown alongside dice, the nails, the cross that Christ carried, and the inscription bearing His name.
At the end of the path, the symbols of His final moments are shown, such as the spear that pierced His side or a sponge soaked in vinegar for Him to drink.
The bridge was not always like this. In fact, it was built in 134 AD by Emperor Hadrian to connect the city with his mausoleum, now the Castel Sant’Angelo.
It was not until the 17th century that Pope Clement IX commissioned Bernini and his workshop to transform the bridge into a kind of open-air “Stations of the Cross” by adding these ten angels.
More than simple decorations, these sculptures were conceived as a narrative that accompanies the visitor step by step, inviting them to pause and rediscover details of the Passion that, although in plain sight, often go unnoticed.
