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The Vatican has unveiled an innovative mobile application to enhance the experience of pilgrims visiting Rome for the Jubilee Year 2025. Known as a Holy Year, the Jubilee is dedicated to prayer, pilgrimage, and spiritual renewal. Millions of faithful from across the globe are expected to visit Rome, and this app aims to facilitate their journey whi...

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John Campitelli started searching for his birth mother when he was only 11 years old. Born in 1963 in Turin, Italy, he was adopted two years later by an American Catholic couple in New York. For years, he believed his birth parents were dead, although no one had ever given him any explanation about why he was given up for adoption. In 1991, after y...

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Growing up in the New York metro area in the 1970s and early 1980s, the work of art I heard my parents discuss most often was Michelangelo’s Pietà. The famous sculpture, which resides inside St. Peter’s in Rome, features a beatific and serene Mary seated with the body of the crucified Jesus sprawled across her lap, evoking the great suffering of hi...

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The Jubilee, also known as the Holy Year, will soon take place with visitors flocking to Rome, the Vatican City and across Italy. It is a sacred event for the Catholic Church typically held every 25 years for patrons to ask forgiveness for their sins. The event begins on Dec. 24 when Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica in the V...

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It took over 400,000 high-resolution images and an enormous amount of data, equivalent to 22 petabytes—around 5 million DVDs—to complete the digital twin of St. Peter's Basilica. The project, titled "San Pietro: AI-Enhanced Experience," was born two years ago from a meeting between Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, head of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, and Br...

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The Sistine Chapel is probably one of the most celebrated works of the Renaissance era. Built in the 15th century under Pope Sixtus IV and named in his honor, the chapel forms part of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace and serves as the pope’s private chapel. While its walls were initially adorned by various artists, including Botticelli and Ghirlandai...

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Pope Francis said he will canonize Carlo Acutis next April, setting the eagerly awaited date for the late teenager to become the Catholic Church’s first millennial and digital-era saint. Francis made the announcement at the end of his weekly general audience on Wednesday, saying he would proclaim the church’s youngest contemporary saint during the...

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An iconic symbol of Rome, a masterpiece of Italian and global architecture, and the emblem of religious tourism, St. Peter’s Basilica holds centuries of extraordinary history. On the occasion of the anniversary of its consecration, which took place on November 18, 1626, we have gathered some of the most fascinating curiosities to know before visiti...

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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 qu...

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In 2025, the Catholic Church will celebrate the Jubilee, a Holy Year proclaimed by the Pope, a tradition dating back to 1300. This special year marks an important spiritual milestone for Catholics around the world, and an occasion for reflection and celebration. The Jubilee is officially starting on December 24, 2024, with the opening of the Holy D...

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