Letter #33: Sistine Chapel Closed (approx 5 days for workers to prepare for conclave)

Moynihan Report ^ | March 5, 2013 | Robert Moynihan, PhD.

[NYer]

Sistine Chapel Closed to Public

Sections of the Vatican Museums were closed today at 1 p.m. Rome time, about 60 minutes ago, to begin to prepare the Sistine Chapel for the upcoming papal conclave.

In 2005, it took seven days to prepare the Chapel for the Conclave after it was closed.

By this measure, the Sistine Chapel should be ready for the Conclave on March 12.

However, the cardinals must vote to move the Conclave up from the March 15-20 time-frame foreseen by the regulations currently in effect. Such a vote would require the presence of all 115 voting cardinals.

In meetings this morning, there were 110 voting age cardinals present. Five voting age cardinals are still not present in Rome.

A screen shot of the Vatican’s webpage

Here is a link to the Vatican Museum website containing this announcement of the closing today of the Sistine Chapel to visitors: http://mv.vatican.va/2_IT/pages/MV_Home.html

Here is the text in Italian:

Avviso

Chiusura Cappella Sistina

Per le esigenze del prossimo Conclave, dalle ore 13.00 di martedì 5 marzo la Cappella Sistina sarà chiusa al pubblico fino a data da destinarsi. Nel medesimo periodo non saranno visitabili, lungo il percorso espositivo dei Musei Vaticani, l’Appartamento Borgia e la Collezione di Arte Religiosa Moderna.

English translation:

Notice

Closing of the Sistine Chapel

For the needs of the upcoming Conclave, from the hour of 13 of Tuesday, March 5, the Sistine Chapel will be closed to the public until a date to be determined. During this same time, [these areas] will not be able to be visited, along the exposition route of the Vatican Museums: the Borgia Apartment and the Collection of Modern Religious Art.

(to be continued…)

[lonestar]

No, it’s a result of the sequester! Ask Obama.

[NYer]

In her daily report, EWTN's Rome News Bureau Chief Joan Lewis, explained how a raised floor must be constructed above the existing floor to prevent damage from cardinal chairs and also to hide the electrical wiring and other aspects of the conclave. Also buried under the floor is a device to ensure no electronic transmissions are being sent. You can learn more about this and other aspects of the closing at Rome Dispatch.

[sunmars]

the procedure is too archaic.....7 days to prepare it? You did have a lot of notice folks.

a vote to move it up? come on just move on it already.

voting age cardinals......? So if you are older and wiser past 80, you don’t get a vote. Ridiculous.

They need to reduce the bureaucracy.

[SumProVita]

Patience, prayer....faith!

;-)

[Salvation]

Letter #33: Sistine Chapel Closed (approx 5 days for workers to prepare for conclave)

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