Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Pope to Inaugurate Newly Restored Cappella Paolina with Vespers on Saturday

Readers may recall the March 22nd NLM story which detailed the restoration of the Cappella Paolina in the Apostolic Palace.

In that story we reported that "...the Vatican has announced that the rearrangement of the liturgical space carried out under Pope Paul VI after the Second Vatican Council will be almost completely reversed, restoring most of the furnishings to their original place..." including the return of the original marble altar, but as a freestanding altar.

The restoration also included work on Michelangelo frescoes depicting the Conversion of St. Paul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter.

It has been reported today that this restoration is now complete and the inauguration will take place. This was announced this morning in a press conference in the Sala Regia of the Vatican Apostolic Palace. (Original source)

Pope Benedict XVI will inaugurate the restored chapel this Saturday with the celebration of Vespers in the chapel. The NLM will endeavour to bring you coverage of this event.


A detail made available by made available by L' Osservatore Romano today, which shows some of the restoration work

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