2 Catholic Pope Icons Within The United States Capitol

(This was originally posted on this blog on March 16, 2010.)

House Chamber

The President delivers the annual State of the Union address in the House chamber

The House of Representatives Chamber has 448 permanent seats. Unlike Senators, Representatives do not have assigned seats.[39] It is adorned with relief portraits of famous lawmakers and lawgivers throughout history.

In order clockwise around the chamber:
George Mason
Robert Joseph Pothier
Jean Baptiste Colbert
Edward I
Alfonso X
Pope Gregory IX* 

Saint Louis
Justinian I
Tribonian
Lycurgus
Hammurabi
Moses
Solon
Papinian
Gaius
Maimonides
Suleiman the Magnificent
Pope Innocent III*
Simon de Montfort
Hugo Grotius
Sir William Blackstone
Napoleon I
Thomas Jefferson
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There is also a quote etched in the marble of the chamber, as stated by venerable statesman Daniel Webster: "Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers, build up its institutions, promote all its great interests, and see whether we also, in our day and generation, may not perform something worthy to be remembered."[40]
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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Capitol

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Relief Portraits of POPES

Bas-relief in the U.S. House of Representatives Chamber

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http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Innocent_III_bas-relief_in_the_U.S._House_of_Representatives_chamber.jpg




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Bas-relief in the U.S. House of Representatives Chamber

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3a/Gregory_IX_bas-relief_in_the_U.S._House_of_Representatives_chamber.jpg/150px-Gregory_IX_bas-relief_in_the_U.S._House_of_Representatives_chamber.jpg

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P.S. What are these guys doing in a Federal building of a nation that has an Establishment Clause? A nation which is the last bastion of religious and civil liberties? Why in a land where the pilgrims came to escape the tyranny of the kings and popes of Europe?

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Also, Thanks Christian Pinto & Greg for the info.

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