It is believed the chapel dates back to Gregory XIII who commissioned it in 1580, when the new basilica was still under construction. In about 1592 Clement VIII had the room enlarged at the time the crypt was taking shape below the new basilica above. The chapel has changed appearances slightly over the centuries.
The lovely image above the altar came from the old St. Peter's Basilica. It is attributed to Pietro Cavallini (1273-1321), a fragment of a medieval fresco framed in Cosmatesque marble elements. The image has a long history and has been venerated for centuries. It was put here by order of Urban VIII.
The chapel has taken the name "Bocciata," related to the swollen look of the face of Our Lady. The image became well-known in 1440 when, according to testimonies, an intoxicated soldier had hurled an object at the face of Our Lady, with the lesion still visible on her left cheek. Drops of blood appeared on the image and fell down on the stone paving. Pilgrims touch the pavings today, preserved on the wall.
Later during the dark days of the Cold War in the twentieth century Cardinal Josef Beran, the Archbishop of Prague and Primate of Bohemia, was buried here at the behest of Paul VI. That occurred when he died in exile in 1969 during the Communist occupation of his beloved country. In 2018 his remains were fittingly transported for burial in the Cathedral of Prague, his native homeland.
Many thanks to the wonderful priests who offer Holy Mass here daily, including our good friend the great Monsignor Agostini. It is an immense privilege to worship here, so close to the tomb of the Blessed Apostle Peter, where Christians have gathered for centuries to pray together in the unison of one Faith.
