New Franklin Institute Exhibit Brings Vatican Wonders To Philadelphia
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Franklin Institute unveiled a few of the objects from the Vatican that will be on display beginning next week as part of a new exhibition. It represents a once in a lifetime chance to see a piece of Rome right here in Philadelphia.
Titled Vatican Splendors, the 10,000 square foot exhibit will feature more than 200 objects shipped straight from the Vatican.
"Forty Percent have never been seen outside the Vatican and some of these have never been seen by the public while they were in Rome," says Larry Dubinski, president of the Franklin Institute. He says Archbishop Charles Chaput and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia lobbied the Vatican to make Philadelphia one of the only two North American stops for this exhibit.
"It's an amazing opportunity to showcase the type of respect the world has for Philadelphia," says Dubinski.
Monsignor Roberto Zagnoli is the former director of the Vatican Museums and is curator of Vatican Splendors. He traveled with the artifacts from Rome. Gloved technicians carefully uncrated three artifacts for the press Wednesday at the Franklin Institute. Speaking in Italian through a translator, Zagnoli explained the significance of the three pieces.
"Each is a chapter and an itinerary that tells the story of the Vatican and of art," says Zagnoli, "the show is not only representative of the great events of history and the great artists, but also of the intimacy of every day moments."
The treasures include a gold and silver reliquary with bone fragments of Saints Peter, Paul, Anne, Joseph and others; a Guercino painting of the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus and Book in Hands; and finally, a 17th century Bernini bronze Angel sculpture. Zagnoli says the pieces tell a story of ordinary life.
"To be a Christian doesn't mean to live extraordinarily, it means to live well, each and every day each and each and every moment," he says.
Vatican Splendors opens September 19 and runs through February 15, 2016. There are extended hours during the week of the World Meeting of Families, but the exhibition will be closed the weekend of the Papal visit. More information is available at www.fi.edu.
