Akron native brings history of Vatican to the faithful Father Haydu, museum expert, returns with 'Splendors' exhibit By Dorothy Shinn Beacon Journal art and architecture critic Published on Sunday, Jun 01, 2008 The Rev. Mark Haydu is everything the Catholic Church wants its priests to be: friendly, soft-spoken, articulate, knowledgeable and devoted to his church. He's also the international director of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums and a native of Akron. He's back in Northeast Ohio accompanying Vatican Splendors, one of the largest collections of art, documents and historically significant objects from the Vatican ever to tour North America, on view at the Western Reserve Historical Society, 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland, through Sept. 7. While the 10,000-square-foot exhibit was curated by Monsignor Roberto Zagnoli, curator of the Vatican Museums, Haydu was chosen to be one of the officials accompanying this show because, he said, ''I was giving tours to the tomb of St. Peter underneath the Basilica and had learned a lot about the archaeology of the excavations done since 1949.'' ''When they needed someone to talk about the history of the Vatican, I was chosen,'' he said. Haydu, 35, is a graduate of Garfield High School in Akron. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Matthew's in Akron and attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School for one year. After a year of study at Franciscan University of Steubenville, he served in missions for a year in Guatemala and Mexico. He also studied nursing at the University of Akron. > continue reading article