All posts tagged the vatican
Pope John Paul II beatification pics from Rome
Here are photos of Rome in the aftermath of the beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 1st. We’ll soon have a post of the Pope’s relationship with Rome at a local level, as Karol Wojtyla lived with and in the city differently to other popes. Seeing these pictures, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the Vatican is an independent state given the tourism boost such an event provides to Rome.
More than one million pilgrims came to the Pope John Paul II beatification, crowding the streets and trying for their place in St Peter’s Square. These are the images of what comes after such a mass gathering, with religion and patriotism for far flung pilgrim countries celebrated in equal measure.
Unfortunately, we can also see what a state the Eternal City was left in for the beatification of one man in a history of more than 2,764 years, according to the recent April 21st Rome birthday. It’s a strange way to see the city after the Pope himself was such a protagonist in recent history. In the meantime, the rest of the world discovered that Bin Laden had died in the midst of a beatification of a pope….
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Pope John Paul II beatification: what the media says
After the excitement of today’s royal wedding, Sunday May 1st marks the beatification of Pope John Paul II and the Vatican is preparing itself for a serious influx of pilgrims. Not quite religious tourism in Rome, it marks an extremely special event for the city and the Italian media is full of sincere dedications to one of history’s most popular popes.
Our colleagues at 06blog are calling it Papa-mania (or pope-mania) on the streets of Rome, quoting the Inquirer who talks of the posters celebrating the beautification which adorn the souvenir shops of Rome. It says: “A large souvenir shop on the edge of [St Peter’s] square has oil portraits of questionable taste and a life-size statue next to which tourists pose.”
As we already suggested above, Fox heads its beatification piece with the title “Royal Wedding takes spotlight from Vatican’s beatification.” Apparently the estimated number of pilgrims has droppped, although Italian media last night was still carrying the estimated figure of about a million in Rome for the beatification. More after the jump.
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Pope John Paul II beatification in Rome: ticketing scam
Pilgrims to the Vatican and Rome for the beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 1st are being asked by Italian police to be careful of any ticketing schemes. They are emphasising that the beatification event is free, after an American is under investigation for a ticketing scam related to the religious celebration.
The American tour guide is suspected of selling fake tickets costing 166 euros to the beatification, and of using the website “vaticancitytours.com” to sell them. Police have searched the suspect’s home where some beatification ‘vouchers’ were found’. With the event free, and two million pilgrims expect in Rome for Pope John Paul’s beatification, visitors are being asked to be vigilant of such schemes.
Source | Italymag
Vatican Library reopens after three years
The monumental and astoundingly beautiful Vatican Library, with its Sistine Hall shown in this picture, has reopened after three years of restoration and a new exhibition is taking place to honour the event. The exhibition, called ‘Conoscere la Biblioteca Vaticana’ or ‘Getting to know the Vatican library’ will run from November 11 to the end of January. An event in which parts of the library generally closed to students and the public will be opened via multimedia connection will also take place from November 11 to 13 in the form of a study convention.
The reopening of the Vatican libraries is a much anticipated event in the echelons of the world’s academia. The library itself has an astonishing number of texts and manuscripts with 600,000 texts, 80,000 manuscripts, 100,000 archives and many other precious items that make up papal and world history. Pope Benedict XVI will visit the library on December 18 as part of the official celebrations of its reopening. For more information on the exhibitions and visiting times, see the Vatican Library website.
Interview-book on Pope Benedict to be published
News from the Vatican is that a book in interview form with Pope Benedict XVI will be published by the end of the year. The work is the fruit of conversations between the Pope and journalist Peter Seewald. The two spent a week together, from July 26 to 31 this year, and the interviews continue an acquaintance that started back when the Pope was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and when the journalist had interviewed him then.
The interviews, apparently on various themes, took place in German (as Seewald is a German journalist) and the book will be available in Italian and German, with other languages possibly following. The book will be published by the Vatican’s publisher, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, as reported by Vatican communications officer Father Federico Lombardi.
Source | ANSA
Saint Lawrence not a Caravaggio original
After news of a possible discover of a new Caravaggio painting - “San Lorenzo” - the painting has been determined not to be of Caravaggio origin. The ‘Martirio di San Lorenzo’ was originally reported by the Vatican newspaper, Osservatore Romano, as possibly being by Caravaggio, but the newspaper has since revealed that this is most likely not be the case.
The head of the Vatican Museums, Antonio Paolucci, has stated that the Saint Lawrence work is most likely a copy of an original Caravaggio. The Italians are describing the affair as an example of Caravaggio-mania in a year in which the country is celebrating the 400th anniversary of the painter’s death.
Paolucci has stated that the painting in question, a depiction of the martyrdom of Saint Lawrence on a gridiron, is a work of modest quality by flawed painting techniques. It doesn’t show the quality of a true Caravaggio and the statements confirm the doubts of Maurizio Marini, Caravaggio expert, on the authenticity of the painting when it was first found. According to reports, Saint Lawrence was not a subject that would have been known to Caravaggio.
Make way for the iMass: application has priests celebrate mass on iPad
After the iBreviary for the iPhone appeared, there is a new addition to the book of daily prayers for the iPhone in the form of an iPad app that contains the missal. The application, currently called iMass, has been developed by the Rev Paolo Padrini, who claims that it could make it easier for priests who travel a lot to celebrate mass with their own missal on their iPad.
While he says it won’t replace many of the book-based missals used by priests to celebrate mass, some of them are old and falling apart and need a modern replacement for travelling priests. The iPad application makes it handy for priests to celebrate mass while on the road and will be launched in July in English, Italian, French, Spanish and Latin.
Despite its apparent need for a name, 200,000 people have already downloaded it. Father Padrini heads the Vatican’s new media outreach program for young people, which includes a presence on Facebook and YouTube. We’re still a bit dubious, but if there’s one way to take the message to young people, it’s via technology.
News from Italy: Fellini's feminist lovers, Colosseum restoration and papal cover-ups
International press news from Italy includes everything from Roma’s top spot in the Serie A football list, above FC Internazionale, to the restoration of the Colosseum and papal cover-ups. Sometimes it seems the world just can’t get enough of Italy.
Among the favourite topics from Spain’s El Pais is the 23 million euros announced for the restoration of the Colosseum. Rome’s mayor, Alemanno, has approved the expensive plan and the Spaniards say it’s come in time to prevent a similar fate to that of the roof crumbling on the Domus Aurea.
The Italians call it the most ‘curious’ topic, but if you know anything about Germaine Greer’s celebrity status in the Anglo world, you won’t be surprised that the Guardian reported a supposed dalliance between the strident feminist and Federico Fellini. Another event which apparently occured in Rome, over dinner of a basil risotto.
A Telegraph columnist uses an old favourite among journalists to compare modern politics to ancient times, wandering Rome’s ruins while pondering Britain’s budget deficit:
Vatican forgives John Lennon 'Beatles bigger than Jesus' comment
44 years after John Lennon famously declared that the Beatles were bigger than Jesus, the Vatican’s newspaper Osservatore Romano has published an article in which it discusses the pop phenomenon of the world famous British band. According to the paper, the comment was not really that scandalous and the band’s less than examplary lifestyle is all the past.
Their music, however, lives on and the band can be forgiven due to the beautiful melodies and music which it has left the world. As response, Beatles drummer Ringo Starr has said that the Vatican had orginally labelled the Beatles ‘Satanic’ and that in any case, the Vatican really has more to talk about. After the jump is a 1960’s news bulletin in which the infamous comment is discussed.
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Vatican Museums open at night: tickets online
The Vatican Museums at night could put you in mind of the opening scenes of the Da Vinci Code film, but the possibility of visiting the Sistine Chapel and the rest of the masterpieces in the Vatican Museums at night is real. You can enjoy the spaces and the works without having to queue, and in addition you get an unusual experience to add to your tour of Rome.
Every Friday from April through to October, the Vatican museums are open from 7 pm to 11 pm, with last entrance at 9:30 pm. You can book tickets here for the Vatican Museums at night, which cost 31 euros for adults and 25 euros discounted. The prices are a bit high, but apparently worth it to see the St Peter’s dome under starlight, and torchlight in the various courtyards of the Vatican. Visitors also get the chance to see the Gregorian Egyptian museum.
Photo | Flickr
Piazza san Pietro restored to white: St Peter's back to Bernini's vision
The Vatican will get a restoration job soon, with St Peter’s square being restored to what is described as the original idea from Bernini from the 1600’s. From the Carlo Magno corridor to Costantino the ochre finish on the ground, applied in the 1800’s will be taken off, and restored to white.
The decision has been made on finding a document in the Vatican archives that attests to Bernini’s original vision for Piazza san Pietro. Technicians and restoration experts have done analyses of the square, and found below the ochre finish a white surface that should have been the original. The work is expected to take about five years, in which time restoration works will also be completed on the 140 statues and 244 columns in the piazza.
Become a Pope with "Vatican: The Board Game"
Dan Brown’s book, the Da Vinci Code, has got nothing on Dr. Stephen Haliczer’s game, Vatican: The Board Game. In a game that will test your theological and doctrincal knowledge, players attempt to reach the top of the Vatican to be ordained as Pope. The game takes events from the previous papal term, with strange and bizarre circumstances, and tests the players currently at cardinal level, who aspire to the top job.
Moral and theological issues are tackled, including contraception, celibacy, stem cell research, theological censorship, and the politics of beatification. Jucier aspects like the sin of gluttony and temptation, represented by a banquet dinner with cannelloni, also appear. The website for the game describes it thus:
Vatican is a fascinating way for all to understand a central point of Catholic identity, and will appeal to a wide variety of audiences, whatever their religious preferences… It is sophisticated, filled with nuance that makes replays as enjoyable as the first time you play it. For teachers, it’s a powerful educational tool – for a gathering of friends, it’s a stimulating experience. Vatican, historically accurate, is more compelling than the depictions of the Catholic Church in popular culture. Reality and truth are always more interesting than fiction.
For more information, you can also go to the dedicated Facebook Vatican game page.
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