Saint Peter and the Vatican, the Legacy of the Popes

I was at the Museum of Art in Fort Lauderdale, Florida today to view some of the Vatican's art collection. It was absolutely stunning. If this exhibition comes to a city near you, don't miss it. FYI, they charged $19.00 per adult.

It includes works by Michelangelo, Bernini, Giotto, Rafaello et al and it defies description. I was with son, Christopher, and was so amased at the beauty of the objects that I only made sotto voce corrections (instead of assaulting the Museum Board of Directors) about the ahistorical commentary posted in front of some of the various objects.

A few years ago I saw "Angels of the Vatican" in West Palm Beach and almost everything in this new exhibition is different than the one I had seen previously.

Urban VIII possessed the most astounding vestments. They were still vivid with their colors of blue, pink, yellow, red, on the green backround, with intricate decorations and sacred scenes with inlays of precious metals...Absolutely impossible to describe. They must be seen.

The various Tiaras were similarly amasing. And the Monstrances....Good Lord. What has happened to art since those days?

I am not going to even attempt to decribe all that one can see in this exhibit with all its splendor, artisanship, craftsmanship, love, dedication, beauty, ect.

But, I promise you hours - we were there four hours, at least,- of beauty and only minimal irritation at some of the moronic signs attending a few of the works of art.

We left feeling even in more direct connection with St. Peter than when we had arrrived.

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I was telling Christopher he was Pope when I was born and how I remember, vaguely, his death and the following conclave ect. I started to tell him that, soon, the only Pope he has ever known... and then I had to turn away because I began crying.

My mother used to work in the Accounting Dept. at the US HQ for Scandinavian Airlines. When I was 5 (1954), she took me to Europe. Our travels included a stop in Rome. It was the Marian Year and she had obtained tickets for a general audience with Pope Pius XII. I still recall being packed into St. Peter's Basilica, like a tiny sardine amongst the adults. The crowds continued to push forward and my mother disappeared from sight. Suddenly a Franciscan monk appeared bent over and lifted me up onto his shoulders. He then grabbed my mother and escorted us both out of St. Peters. The next day, we obtained tickets for the reviewing stand along the route the Holy Father would take on this major procession.

Many years later, coincidnentally, I just happened to be in Rome when Pope John Paul I died. It was a most extraordinary scene in St. Peter's Square as pilgrims from all around the globe descended. I distinctly recall the discussion amongst the faithful with regard to the new Vatican currency, bearing the image of Pope John Paul I. It was still being struck, following his ordination and now the mold would have to be broken.

I saw the show in Houston. Maybe I was just tired after having driven 6 hours from New Orleans that morning, but I confess I was underwhelmed.

Now it would be unfair of me to ask the exhibition to be more than it is. What it is is an introduction to the Petrine office -- its origin and historical continuity, its claims, and its cultural impact. As an educational initiative I think it covered the bases pretty well. The "Vatican Necropolis" section does an evocative job of transporting the viewer to 1st century Rome (and the present-day site under the high altar of St. Peter's), but that's more about setting the scene than displaying artifacts. The Mandylion of Odessa OTOH made for a fascinating display of an authentically ancient and revered icon, but I thought the historical commentary inadequate. One quibble would be a mislabling -- a chasuble IIRC was misidentified as a cope. Not a big deal, I admit, but an instance of carelessness that could have been avoided.

Most of the items on display were not especially old, in the context of the papacy, and a great many though interesting were of less-than-epochal artistic importance. The papal tiaras were undeniably impressive, and the more so for the historical interest of the personages who wore them, but it's hard to rank them as important works of art in their own right. To be honest, what moved me as much as anything in the exhibit was the plain white cassock of Pius XII. Truly, I felt as though I was standing in the presence of the great pontiff. That was moving yes, but not I think to any non-Catholic.

It was certainly a lengthy exhibit -- you get your money's worth in terms of items viewed -- but I did have the nagging feeling, especially toward the end, that there was some filler of transitory interest. Things like JPII's Millennium Holy Door Opening cope (which I hated on TV and frankly consider to be ephemera on the same level as Princess Diana's dresses).

Probably my biggest disappointment with the show was that it included too many artifacts from the 19th and 20th centuries, and too few truly rare and ancient pieces or works by first rate artists.

Having said all that, would I recommend the show anyway? Certainly yes for anyone within an easy day's drive, if only because we so rarely get to see stuff like this in the USA. And it does make for a good introduction to the papacy that'd be useful in a serious catachetical program for those ages 10 and up. Just don't go hoping to get a miniature sampling of the Vatican Museums. That isn't what this show is about, and you'll be disappointed if that's what you expect or where your interests lie.

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