Two sets of chains believed to have bound Saint Peter during his imprisonments — one in Jerusalem (Acts 12:6-7) and one in Rome's Mamertine Prison before his martyrdom.
History
According to tradition, Empress Eudoxia received the Jerusalem chains from the Patriarch of Jerusalem in the 5th century and sent them to Rome. When they were brought together with the Roman chains, the two sets miraculously fused into one. Pope Sixtus III built the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains) to house them.
Scientific Investigation
The chains have not been subjected to modern metallurgical analysis. The basilica housing them dates to the 5th century, consistent with the traditional account.
Spiritual Significance
The chains symbolize Peter's suffering for the faith and God's power to liberate His servants. The feast of Saint Peter in Chains (August 1) commemorates Peter's miraculous liberation from prison by an angel.
