The Vatican launched on Monday new Artificial Intelligence-enabled services for St Peter's Basilica, allowing virtual access to its Renaissance-era architectural treasures for all and enhanced tours for visitors. The new experiences were unveiled in time for the Catholic Church's Holy Year or Jubilee celebrations in 2025, which come around every quarter of a century.

"St. Peter's is like a starry sky on a summer night: you remain enchanted by its splendour," said St Peter's archpriest Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, enthusing that the new tools would act like a telescope or spaceship for better viewing.