The most intense episode of the extremely long mass held on February 24th, 1950, was certainly when King Charles V kneeled before Pope Clement VII. For the coronation of the last Holy Roman Emperor elected by the pope, the inside of the Basilica di San Domenico was enriched with chapels and pews to make it similar to Saint Peter’s, and the entire city was fortified, or rather made a jewel.
After the coronation – which occurred in Bologna’s main church, San Petronio – the pope and emperor stood on the baldaquin that led the festive procession along the streets of Bologna, but what struck the emperor the most was the wooden masterpiece he found in the Basilica. Standing in front of the inlaid choir, he defined it “the eighth wonder of the world”.
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