Il Vaticano racchiude la piu' impressionante collezione d'opere d'arte di tutto il mondo. Per molti, pero', raggiungere Roma e' proibitivo. Ebbene, c'e' ancora speranza per osservare e godere delle meraviglie del Vaticano! Una mostra aperta fino al 9 Gennaio presso il Heinz History Center in Smallman Street nel Strip District. Fidatevi, questa e' una mostra da non perdere!

It is not too late to visit the wonderful exhibit of Vatican Art currently on display at the Heinz History Center on Smallman Street in the Strip District. The exhibit will run through January 9 and has hosted over 70,000 visitors to date. This exhibit has drawn the largest number of visitors of any exhibit to the Heinz Center since its opening.

Priceless works of art by the Masters of the Renaissance: Michelangelo, Giotto di Bondone, Guercino, Bernini, Giovanni Battista Salvi, Giuseppe Ghezzi and more are displayed for your inspection. Each of the displays is described as to its author and the art's contribution to a particular Christian era.

The exhibit is divided into twelve sections beginning with a short video introduction to the Vatican and the beautiful art that it contains. After the video, there is an exhibit of early Christian dialogue between faith and art, and the rise of Christian Rome. Michelangelo and the building of the new basilica in Rome includes a striking exhibit of the scaffolding near the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at St. Peters. The Art of the Liturgy includes precious articles used during the celebration of the Liturgy and works of art surrounding famous historical figures such as Napoleon. The Successors of Peter portion of the exhibit contain papal portraits, sculptures, and frescoes of the including the stories of the Popes over the past 2,000 years. There are also exhibits on the Church's dialogue with the world, art and the contemporary papacy and Catholicism in Western Pennsylvania.

I suggest that you take an afternoon and journey down to the History Center and enjoy the beauty that this extraordinary exhibit portrays. There is much history to view and appreciate and of course, history is a great teacher!

For more information call 412-454-6000 or 888-5VATICAN (888-582-8422).