VATICAN - Initiatives for fifth centenary of Vatican Museums (1506-2006) presented by Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka and Vatican Museums director Francesco Buranelli

Wednesday, 15 February 2006

Vatican City (Fides Service) - This year 2006 is the 5th hundredth anniversary of the fortunate discovery of the marble statue of Laocoon and his sons 14 January 1506 on the Colle Oppio in Rome. A series of initiatives organised to celebrate this anniversary were presented at the Holy See Press Room by Vatican Museums Director Francesco Buranelli. The press conference was presided by Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka, President of the Governatorate Vatican City State. Also present at the media conference Bishop Renato Boccardo, secretary general of the Governatorate.
The first in a series of initiatives in 2006 will be a Mass of Thanksgiving in the Sistine Chapel on 17 February for the personnel of the Vatican Museums presided by Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka. Cultural events will follow. On 16 March the reopening of restored the Pio Christian Museum founded in 1756-1757 by Benedict XIV, the museum presents a collection of early Christian objects found in catacombs and early churches in Rome.
On 27 April opening of the restored mural paintings by Pinturicchio in the Hall of Divine Mysteries in the Borgia Apartment. The second gallery to open will be the Missionary Ethnological Museum. Founded by Pius XI in 1926, it was housed in the Lateran Palace until 1963 when Blessed John XXIII decided to move it to the Vatican. The museum, which opened to the public ten years later under the pontificate of Paul VI, presents the cultures and religious practices of non-European countries, and their contacts with Christianity. The sections dedicated to China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Mongolia are due to open on June 20. In the Autumn a new section of the Roman necropolis on the Via Triumphalis will be opened, discovered thee years ago during work on the new Santa Rosa parking lot in the Vatican. It will be possible to visit around 30 mausolea and 70 individual tombs dating from the first century BC to the third century AD..
The anniversary celebration will come to an end in November with the exhibition: "Laocoon. At the origins of the Vatican Museums." The event will be accompanied by an international congress on the theme of the identity, essence and role of museums in modern society. (R.F.) (Agenzia Fides 15/2/2006 - righe 36, parole 387)


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