Posted on 10/17/2014 1:11:56 PM PDT by NYer
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Pope Francis has for the first time allowed the Sistine Chapel to be rented out for a private corporate event, with the proceeds to go to charities working with the poor and homeless.
The concert, to be performed amid the splendour of Michelangelo’s frescoes on Saturday, will be attended by a select group of about 40 high-paying tourists who have signed up to an exclusive tour of Italy organised by Porsche.
But as the unprecedented deal was announced, the Vatican announced that it would limit the number of visitors allowed inside the chapel to the current total of six million, amid fears that the frescoes are being damaged by the breath and sweat of so many tourists.
The Vatican would not divulge how much it will earn from the event, but the five-day tour of Rome arranged by the Porsche Travel Club costs up to 5,000 euros per head, meaning an overall price of 200,000 euros.
Participants are promised “a magnificent concert in the Sistine Chapel, with its ceiling frescoes painted by Michelangelo”.
The concert will be performed by a choir from the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, which traces its origins back to the 16th century.
They will then sit down to a “gala dinner” in the midst of the Vatican Museums, “surrounded by masterpieces by world-famous artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael”.
“It’s a one-off event and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” a spokeswoman for the Porsche Travel Club told The Telegraph. “It will be the highlight of the trip.”
The Pope is keen to put the Vatican’s incomparable cultural heritage treasures to good use for the benefit of the needy.
Shortly after he was elected in March last year he called for a “poor Church for the poor”.
Monsignor Paolo Nicolini, the administrative director of the Vatican Museums, said firms like Porsche would be asked to make a donation for the use of the Sistine Chapel, with the money then passed onto Catholic charities of the Pope’s choice.
“It is an initiative which will support the Pope’s charity projects. It is aimed at big companies which, through the payment of a fee, can contribute to charity activities,” he said.
I read on the other thread that it will not be rented, but rather lent.
What Porsche does after that is their business not the Vatican’s.
I understand that the Blessed Sacrament is not reserved in the Sistine Chapel.
There is that nice empty space in the lower center that one could rent out for a nice neon sign that says “Eat at Luigi’s”
Rome claims they're worried about body perspiration, breath exhalation, body odor, camera flashes, etc., destroying Michaelangelo's masterpieces. Yet Rome will now turn the chapel into a restaurant for the high and mighty.
Your common tourists/pilgrims are strictly forbidden to bring any food or drink into the Sistine Chapel.
Any food or drink may be left at the cloakrooms. If not collected the same day it will be destroyed.
I understand the Sistine Chapel has never been deconsecrated.
What’s your point?
Is there currently a charge to see the Sistine Chapel? I don’t know if there was back in January 1968 when I visited there on a 3 week tour of Europe. Of course, it was a tour sponsored by the Catholic college, St. Joseph’s of Indiana, that I attend for my BA.
“Rome claims they’re worried about body perspiration, breath exhalation, body odor, camera flashes, etc., destroying Michaelangelo’s masterpieces. Yet Rome will now turn the chapel into a restaurant for the high and mighty.”
Irrelevant. I’ve been to the Sistine Chapel twice. Both times there were hundreds of people squeezing through the chapel for hours and hours on end. This is dinner will comprise 40 people plus servers. An average hour of tourists is far more “body perspiration, breath exhalation, body odor, camera flashes, etc.” than the 40 or so people who are getting this private dinner.
“Your common tourists/pilgrims are strictly forbidden to bring any food or drink into the Sistine Chapel.”
As they should be. Now, if they paid a special rate to bring in food or drink or otherwise had permission to do so, then fine, let them do so. Otherwise, suck it up. You got what you paid for: you paid your money to see the Sistine Chapel and you saw it. That doesn’t mean you get to eat there or drink there or take a nap on the floor or claim it as your own. It belongs to the Diocese of Rome and its bishop can rent it out to whoever he wants.
How utterly disgusting.
I know all about pilgrimages; I have also taken tours. So you are suggesting that ALL of the individuals in the above photograph are "Catholic pilgrims".
As for "hallowed ground", St. Peter's Basilica must also fit that description. Here is another group of "Catholic pilgrims", visiting St. Peter's.
Have you ever taken a tour of a church or cathedral without being on a pilgrimage?
Ping to my comment at #27
“Is there currently a charge to see the Sistine Chapel?”
That Vatican Museum full price ticket is 16 Euros now.
http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?action=booking&codiceTipoVisita=26&step=2
I believe it was Pope John Paul II that agreed to allow the Vatican to charge money for the museums. Much of their revenue comes from that money. Best day of the week to go (according to some people) is Thursdays because then you can partake in these presentations: http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Info/MV_Info_Conferenze.html
It is worth EVERY PENNY. Everyone who goes should also take the Scavi Tour which allows you to go underground under St. Peter’s to see old Roman streets and buildings built more than 1800 years ago. Neat stuff. Only 250 people are allowed to go on the Scavi tour per day to preserve the site.
No charges for any Vatican buildings as far as I understand.
From this article/thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3216255/posts
**Despite the for-profit trip, the Vatican is insisting that lending out the Sistine Chapel was a purely charitable act.
“The Sistine Chapel can never be rented because it is not a commercial place. Saturday will be the debut of ‘Art for Charity,’ an initiative to exclusively support the charitable projects of the pope. This initiative is organized directly by the Vatican Museums and is directed at big companies. With the payment of a ticket, they can contribute to financing charity projects.”**
You pay to walk through the museum. At the end of the walk, you enter into the Sistine. It’s at the end. It’s worth every penny.
Don’t give Francis any ideas! He’s liable to host huge disco night shows in St Peter’s Basilica to finance his pet charities to help muslims invade Italy.
You have heard about his Tango Masses in Argentina, have you not?
“Have you ever taken a tour of a church or cathedral without being on a pilgrimage?”
NYer, you just reminded me of when I was living in Florence in my “misspent youth”. On my morning there I made a beeline to the Duomo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Cathedral ). The guards outside tried to prevent me from entering because they thought I was a tourist and it was not yet time for visitors. I had to show them my Rosary to get inside!
I don't think the money changers were donating their profits to charity.
Usually we hear that the pope is hoarding these priceless artifacts for himself.
The NYT, no friend of the Catholic Church, estimates the value of the entire Vatican City-state at $10-15 billion, or about half of Harvard's endowment.
It is now.
They will then sit down to a “gala dinner” in the midst of the Vatican Museums.
Like the indissolubility of marriage, Francis is unique in his distortion of facts.
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