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St. Pete Museum Prepares Vatican Treasures For Exhibit

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By CARLOS MONCADA | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 30, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - The wooden crate marked "Fragile" sitting in the middle of the carpeted room conjured up thoughts of the movie "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Inside, though, was not the stuff of movie magic but part of a rare collection of treasures from the Vatican that will be displayed in downtown St. Petersburg starting Feb. 9.

The Florida International Museum this morning opened the first of 77 specially designed crates that arrived Sunday for its upcoming exhibition, "Vatican Splendors From Saint Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Swiss Guard."

Removed by white-gloved artifact handlers were two items: "Daniel in the Lion's Den," a terracotta sculpture that dates to 1655, and the "Mandylion of Edessa," a third to fifth century image on linen considered the oldest known representation of Jesus.

"To say we're thrilled is really not saying it well enough," said Kathy Oathout, the museum's executive director. "The objects are here, and they're being uncrated, and each uncrating is more special than the one before.''

The exhibit, which runs through May 11, will feature 200 pieces of art and historical objects spanning 2,000 years. Among them is a reliquary containing bone fragments of St. Peter and personal belongings of Michelangelo. Also included are tiaras, mosaics, paintings, papal rings and jewelry and embroidered silk vestments. Many of the artifacts have never left the Vatican, including the sculpture of "Daniel in the Lion's Den."

With its smooth surfaces and deep folds in the cloak of the prophet Daniel, the 16-inch-tall clay artwork still bears the thumbprints of its artist, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the Monsignor Roberto Zagnoli, curator of the Vatican Museums, pointed out while speaking through a translator.

The "Mandylion," or small piece of cloth, is the earliest icon of the face of Jesus reputedly not made by human hands. The linen is attached to a frame made of wood, silver, gold and various stones.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg was instrumental in landing the exhibit for St. Petersburg, the first stop of a three-city tour that includes Cleveland and St. Paul, Minn.

"We're thrilled and honored to have this exhibit here in our diocese," said the Rev. Len Plazewski. "It's only going to three cities in the United States, and probably many of these things will never come out of the Vatican again."

The exhibit, produced by Evergreen Exhibitions of San Antonio, Texas, is not just for Catholics, Oathout said.

"Whether you're Catholic or not Catholic, these are magnificent works of art," she said. "And we know that everybody will be touched by this display and leave with different perspectives."

Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at cmoncada@tampatrib.com or (727) 451-2333.

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