At the Room of Heliodorus, inside the Vatican Museums, there is one of the most beautiful frescoes by Raphael: his Liberation of St. Peter. Ready to know more about another masterpiece realized by this famous and talented master? Keep in mind that I suggest to come here, standing inside this room being surrounded by the frescos made by Raphael and his assistants (like this one). Why? To be surrounded by the beauty, 

Here the Raphael, confirming himself as a pure master of the Renaissance, describes a story told in the Acts of the Apostles, in which we come to know that Saint Peter, imprisoned for the second time in Jerusalem, manages to escape, helped by an angel of God which was sent by the Lord to allow him to escape. Once freed Saint Peter would have definitely fled from Jerusalem, landing for the first time in Rome, where he would find death by crucifixion in 67 a.D. Returning to the episode masterfully represented by Raphael, a big sleep struck suddenly the guards (you can see centre and right), so as to allow the angel to reach the prison. Here we see how Raphael was a master at playing with lights and shadows, by dividing the time of the same episode. In the centre, behind this fantastic grateful, we see a St. Peter's asleep, and the angel, shining with the pure light of the divine, it is ready to hold it. The two guards are wearily leaning on their weapons, grasped by sleep. To the right we see the angel and St. Peter, fleeing from the prison, with the road clear of hazards. To the left, instead, we see the soldiers who are aware of the escape. To make even more mysterious and magical the atmosphere, Raphael chose to insert a small pale and crescent moon at the background, partially covered by clouds. Following the episode written on the Acts of the Apostles, Raphael painted a night atmosphere to increase its games of light, a light that goes from being soft to absolutely dazzling. Try to read what the chronicles said about what happened to St Peter: "The day was approaching when Herod wanted to judge Peter before the people. The night before the trial, Pietro was sleeping between two soldiers, tied with a double chain. Sentries stood guard in front of the prison door. When suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared and the cell was filled with light. The angel touched Peter, woke him up and said to him: 'Quick, get up!' And immediately the chains fell from Peter's wrists. Then the angel continued: 'Put on your clothes and sandals.' Peter obeyed. Finally the angel said to him: 'Now take your cloak and come with me'". We can read and understand it simply looking the Raphael's masterpiece.

That light that is the divine sign, the light that emanates from the Angel of the Lord, in sharp and total contrast with the darkness of the hearts of the persecutors of the Christians. A setting of the night that will become a model for all artists from Raphael's contemporaries, or the aftermath. Also, we can now ask ourselves a question: why this episode? Because the pope Julius II, who commissioned at Raphael to decorate the entire room in which the fresco is located, wanted to represent this theme?

Let us remember that the young painter from Urbino availed himself of the aid of philosophers, historians and theologians at the service of the pontiff, to choose those episodes that could be suited to the policy and the beliefs of the pope, as well as to the intended use of the room that, at the time of Julius II, it was used for official meetings with dignitaries, and men from other kingdoms and countries. The figure of Saint Peter, in the field of art, has always personified the Catholic Church which, in one way or another, has always God whit it, always ready to defend it and support it. Exactly as in the fresco by Raphael, in which the saint and martyr is helped by an Angel, and then by the Lord himself.

But, according to others, Raphael chose this biblical episode to pay homage to his client, Pope Julius II: let us remember how he was, on the advice of Bramante, the principal architect of the papal court, to open wide the doors of success to Raphael. Arrived in Rome, for the first time, just when he was 25 years old, Julius II was the Pope who understand that the young man was better than the other artists who were working for him. Then, perhaps, with the Liberation of St. Peter Raphael wanted to launch a message a little more intimate: it is as if Julius II, following the death in 1513, while the works in his apartment were still in turmoil, was freed of the prison of his earthly body to go in the highest heaven...