The Vatican Museums:
Room of the Immaculate Conception

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The Room of the Immaculate Conception

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Following the proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX (r. 1846-78), which took place on December 8th 1854, the pontiff decided to celebrate the event with a cycle of frescoes. The task was assigned to the painter Francesco Podesti (1800-1895), who, with his team of workers, worked on the commission from 1856 to 1865.

The Proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception

The proclamation took place in the Chapel of the Choir in St Peter's Basilica. Francesco Podesti was present at the ceremony and included a self-portrait in his painting of the event. 
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Pope Pius IX also celebrated the dogma by erecting the Colonna dell' Immacolata in Piazza Mignanelli, near the  Spanish Steps.   

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