Final answer:
St Peter's Basilica was pillaged by invading armies like the Vandals in the past, but the reference to reconstruction relates to Pope Julius II's ambition to transform the church during the Renaissance, resulting in the current Basilica completed in 1626.
Step-by-step explanation:
The churches in Rome, including St Peter's Basilica, were raided and destroyed by various invading armies over the centuries. The Vandals, under the command of King Genseric, conducted one of the most infamous sackings in 455 CE, pillaging the city and taking valuable treasures from St Peter's. However, what your question may allude to is the reconstruction of St Peter's Basilica during the Renaissance, not its destruction by invaders. The original St Peter’s Basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century, underwent a massive transformation under the direction of Pope Julius II who decommissioned the old church to build a new one. Architects, artists, and sculptors, including Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, contributed to its design and construction, resulting in the magnificent splendor of the Renaissance-era Basilica we see today, which was completed in 1626.