Resistance even against firearms

Bulletproof protection for Michelangelo's Pieta in St Peter's Basilica

Vatikanstadt - Thousands of visitors view Michelangelo's Pieta in St Peter's Basilica every day. Now the white marble masterpiece is better protected - even against firearms. The work required a great deal of effort.

Published  on 29.11.2024 at 18:02  – 

Maximum protection for one of the most famous sculptures in the world: Michelangelo's Pieta in St Peter's Basilica can now be admired behind nine shatterproof and bulletproof panes. This was reported by the Vatican News portal on Friday, also citing the St Peter's Cathedral building workshop.

According to the report, the new glass screen is designed to protect the work from attacks by firearms and to withstand earthquakes. The lighting system was also improved during the six months of work.

The sculptor and painter Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) created the Pieta at the age of 24. What is striking about the depiction is the youthfulness of Mary - she appears almost younger than her son Jesus. In Christian art, the term "Pieta" is used to describe the depiction of the seated Mother of God, Mary, holding her dead son Jesus, who has been taken down from the cross, on her lap. (KNA)