Tuesday, October 8th

Restorers complete work on the canopy covering St. Peter's main altar ahead of the 2025 Jubilee

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

Journalists snap photos, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, to the almost completed restoration works of Bernini's monumental bronze canopy, situated beneath Michelangelo's massive dome after the gleaming bronze of its twisting Solomonic columns has been concealed by scaffolds for nine months while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Restorers put the finishing touches Tuesday on the ornate canopy covering the main altar in St. Peter's Basilica, which has been covered in scaffolding for months during the first renovation of Baroque architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini's masterpiece in more than 250 years.

Journalists were allowed a bird's eye view of the 29-meter canopy, or baldachin, on Tuesday, climbing the scaffolding to observe where workers have buffed the intricate surface of the bronze and wood canopy.

During the renovation, workers for the Fabbrica di San Pietro, which maintains the basilica, discovered bits of the baldachin's history, including a forgotten bit of sandwich and nuts that could be over 200 years old, a 17th Century shopping list including tomatoes and bread, and most telling: the sole of a child's shoe.

The sole explains the tradition of using children "suspended on a rope and go and clean the most difficult areas," said engineer Alberto Capitanucci.

Experts show to journalists, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, the restoration works of Bernini's monumental bronze canopy, situated beneath Michelangelo's massive dome and towering 95 feet above the papal altar that sits directly above the Tomb of Saint Peter inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican, where the gleaming bronze of its twisting Solomonic columns has been concealed by scaffolds for nine months while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Faithful visitors are seen through the scaffoldings enveloping Bernini's monumental bronze canopy, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, which is situated beneath Michelangelo's massive dome, whose twisting Solomonic columns' gleaming bronze has been concealed for nine months while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

The making of the scaffolding was key to the success of the work, as it needed to allow workers access "to every point of the canopy with reasonable ease," he said.

"The wood has proven to be in excellent condition, which is the element that we expected to be the most delicate,'' he said.

When the scaffolding is removed on Oct. 27, Capitanucci said visitors can expect to be dazzled by the sheen of restored gold plate, and the leather effect that was achieved through the restoration of the bronze.

The work was completed with an eye on the upcoming Jubilee year, which Pope Francis will inaugurate in December.

The structure, which is positioned over the basilica's main altar to provide a ceremonial covering for the tomb of St. Peter underneath, was completed from the 1620s to 1630s on Pope Urban VIII commission of Baroque architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

It is considered one of the most complicated multi-material artworks of all time, with marble, bronze, wood, gold, and iron. Numerous craftsmen and artists, including master architect Francesco Borromini, contributed to its completion.

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Silvia Stellaci contributed to this report.

A wooden throne that tradition claims belonged to the Apostle Saint Peter, the leader of the Early Christians in Rome and first Pope, and which he used as Bishop of Rome is shown, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in the room where it is temporary kept in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican while Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Altar of the Seat in the Basilica is undergoing restoration together with Bernini's canopy over the papal altar. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Conservation site technical Director Alberto Capitanucci speaks to journalists, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, before showing the restoration of Bernini's monumental bronze canopy, situated beneath Michelangelo's massive dome and St Peter's Cathedra inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

A wooden throne that tradition claims belonged to the Apostle Saint Peter, the leader of the Early Christians in Rome and their first Pope, and which he used as Bishop of Rome is shown, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in the room where it is temporarily kept in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican while Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Altar of the Seat in the Basilica is undergoing restoration, together with Bernini's canopy over the papal altar. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

A carved ivory bas relief showing the coronation of Charles the Bald adorns a wooden throne that tradition claims belonged to the Apostle Saint Peter, the leader of the Early Christians in Rome and first Pope, and which he used as Bishop of Rome is shown, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in the room where it is temporarily kept in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican while Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Altar of the Seat in the Basilica is undergoing restoration together with Bernini's canopy over the papal altar. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Restorer Romana Albini attends, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, to the restoration of a bronze statue of an angel, left, part of the Cathedra of St. Peter's inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican where Bernini's monumental bronze canopy has been under restoration too since February by expert conservators who worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Restorer Sante Guido, right, shows to journalists, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, the end of the restoration works of Bernini's monumental bronze canopy, situated beneath Michelangelo's massive dome after the gleaming bronze of its twisting Solomonic columns has been concealed by scaffolds for nine months while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Experts show to journalists, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, the end of the restoration works of Bernini's monumental bronze canopy, situated beneath Michelangelo's massive dome after the gleaming bronze of its twisting Solomonic columns has been concealed by scaffolds for nine months while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Scaffoldings envelope Bernini's monumental bronze canopy, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, which is situated beneath Michelangelo's massive dome, whose twisting Solomonic columns' gleaming bronze has been concealed for nine months while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Restorer Elisabetta De Narda attends, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, at the restoration of an almost six-meter tall bronze statue of Saint Ambrose, left, part of the Cathedra of St. Peter's inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican where Bernini's monumental bronze canopy has been under restoration too since February by expert conservators who worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Restorer Eleonora Di Vittorio works, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in front of a bronze statue of St John Chrysostom, right, part of the Cathedra of St. Peter's inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican where Bernini's monumental bronze canopy has been under restoration too since February by expert conservators who worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Journalists look, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, at the restoration works of the Cathedra of St. Peter's inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican. Bernini's monumental bronze canopy has been under restoration too since February while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Journalists look, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, at the restoration works of the Cathedra of St. Peter's inside St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican where Bernini's monumental bronze canopy has been under restoration too since February while expert conservators worked meticulously on its intricate surface. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)

Plaques showing the Labours of Hercules and some of the zodiac constellations adorn a wooden throne that tradition claims belonged to the Apostle Saint Peter, the leader of the Early Christians in Rome and first Pope, and which he used as Bishop of Rome is shown, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in the room where it is temporary kept in St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican while Gian Lorenzo Bernini's Altar of the Seat in the Basilica is undergoing restoration together with Bernini's canopy over the papal altar. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)