[2] It is the area where the relics of St. Peter were venerated in early medieval times, before his skull was removed to be housed at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.
Open today for pilgrims,[3] the site venerates the original pavonazzo marble monument placed there by Emperor Constantine, and was used in early medieval times to house the skull of St. Peter.
Before the Clementine chapel was constructed, the skull of St. Peter was housed in its original resting place in the graffiti wall[2] below the large tomb-like structure commissioned by emperor Constantine.
[citation needed] It is one of the two main untouched areas of Old St. Peter's Basilica, along with the chapel of the Niche of the Pallia.
The skull of St. Peter which was first venerated in the clementine chapel, (after being moved there by pope Gregory during its construction), is now housed in the golden reliquary above the high altar of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, after being moved there in late medieval times.