MICHELANGELO'S LAST MIRACLE" - THE UNVEILING OF THE PAULINE CHAPEL

The Pauline Chapel is the smallest, the most remote and the most secret among all the chapels inside the Apostolic Palace. Yet, its symbolic meaning is highly significant being that it is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Princes of the Apostles, and thus called to represent the mission and destiny of the Universal Church. When the Blessed Sacrament is displayed on the altar, the message which is preserved and proclaimed by the Pope of Rome is clearly and effectively represented. On the Restoration of the Pauline Chapel: > view photos > view videos > view articles The artistic history of the Chapel stretches over nearly half a millennium. From the papacy of Pope Paul III Farnese, who commissioned the construction of the Chapel to Antonio da Sangallo (1537-1542), to the presence of Michelangelo, who in the mid XVI century frescoed the celebrated episodes of the Conversion of St. Paul and the Crucifixion of St. Peter . From the great intervention of Pope Gregory XIII Boncompagni, who towards the end of the century, called the painters Federico Zuccari and Lorenzo Sabatini, along with the assistance of whole team of goldsmiths and decorators, to complete the decoration of the Chapel. The history of the Pauline Chapel continues throughout the proceeding papacies as interventions are documented on the "contrafacciata" during the time of Alexander the VIII (1690) and then under Pope Benedict XIV (1741). Further restorations and important refurbishings were documented during the papacies of Pius VI, Gregory XVI, Pius IX, Leo XIII and Pius XI. The last interventions took place during the papacy of Paul VI Montini. It can be easily said that not one single Pope during the last four centuries has failed to take an interest in this small chapel of the Apostolic Palace. The present restoration started in 2002 when Francesco Buranelli was the Director of the Vatican Museums. It concludes now, some seven years later in June 2009 under the direction of Antonio Paolucci. This major restoration was completed thanks to the hard work and dedication of the restorers from the Painting Restoration Lab, under the coordination of Maestro Maurizio De Luca and his assistant Dr. Maria Pustka. Together, Maestro De Luca and Dr. Pustka were entrusted with the responsibility of the overall restoration of the frescoes painted by Michelangelo. A large team of specialized restorers (Massimo Alesi, Laura Baldelli, Bruno Baratti, Guy Devreux, Javier Barbasan Camacho, Sisto Centerba, Angela Cerreta, Maria Chiara Cesa, Raffaella Ciccia, Stefania Colesanti, Eugenio Ercadi, Carmela Errigo, Francesca Forniti, Rossana Giardina, Paola Guidi, Marco Innocenzi, Licia Ippolitoni, Filippo Leopardi, Giancarlo Manuli, Anna Lea Mattozzi, Sr. Angela Messina, Bruno Mattei, Mario Nocente, Laura Pace Morino, Antonella Papa, Chiara Pavan, Francesca Persegati, Maria Grazia Pesce, Fabio Piacentini, Emanuela Pignataro, Paola Porcaro, Marco Pratelli, Marzia Serafini, Sr. Maria Smolen, Claudia Varvarito, Letizia Vianello, Alessandra Zarelli) cared for the remaining frescoes, decorations and stuccoes of the Chapel. The analysis of the materials and the careful diagnostical procedures during all the different phases of the long restoration process have been guaranteed by the Scientific Laboratory of the Vatican Museums, under the direction of Professor Ulderico Santamaria. The Technical Services of the Vatican Museums, overseen by engineer Pier Carlo Cuscianna, provided, with careful efficiency, the necessary organizational and logistical support. The Medici Company completed the reconstruction of the historical altar, the new arrangement of the presbytery and the revision of marble floor while the appreciative cooperation between private professionals and the Technical Services of the Governorate made it possible to implement a modern lighting system. The overall Director of the project (both historical and artistic) was Professor Arnold Nesselrath who was helped by the most well known experts on Michelangelo and very important living authorities of restoration techniques: Cristina Acidini Luchinat, Caterina Bon Valsassina, Howard Burns, Giovanni Carbonara, Gianluigi Colalucci, Pierluigi De Vecchi, Caroline Elam, Christoph Luitpold Frommel, Michael Hirst, Claudio Massimo Strinati, Giorgio Torraca, Timothy Verdon, Kathleen Weil-Garris Brandt. The financial support was provided by the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums and it is proper that their names are delivered to the memory and to the gratitude of the future generations: Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hintze, Mr. and Mrs. Jaime Davila, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Halle, Mr. and Mrs. William Bollinger, Mr. Mark Keane, Mr. Patrick, McKillen, Mr. Sean Mulryan, Mr. Derek Quinlan, Mr. John Ronan, Mr. John J. Brogan and Family, Mr. Sean Fitzpatrick, Mr. Denis O'Brien, Sir Thomas Farmer and Family, The Brown Foundation, The Florida Chapter, The Texas Chapter, Mr. Thomas Quick, Mr. and Mrs. John Foster, Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Rooney, Mr. Michael Fingleton, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Fromson , Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Collins, Mr. and Mrs. James Colross, Mr. Michael Boberschmidt, Mr. John McCaffrey, and Mrs. Shirley Kernan.