Vatican Museum: Beauty that unites! 30

Beauty creates communion. It unites onlookers from a distance, uniting past, present and future. Pope Francis has recalled this on a number of occasions. The Church has always translated the universality of the Good News into the language of art. From this premise, this dramatic moment in history characterized by uncertainty and isolation, gives rise to this initiative which is a partnership between the Vatican Museum and Vatican News: Masterpieces from the Vatican Collection accompanied by comments from the words of the Popes.

Bernardo Daddi, (Firenze c. 1290 - 1348) Martyrdom of St Stephen, c. 1345, Tempera on wood, From a predella containing the Stories of St Stephen, 26,5 x 30 cm, Vatican Museum, Art Gallery, © Musei Vaticani

The cross of Christ is the supreme sign
of God’s love for every man and woman,
the superabundant response to every person’s
need for love. At times of trouble,
when our families have to face pain and adversity,
let us look to Christ’s cross. There we can find
the courage and strength to press on;
there we can repeat with firm hope the words
of Saint Paul: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.”

( Benedict XVI, Way of the Cross at the Colosseum, 6 April 2012).

Under the direction of: Paolo Ondarza

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