The nearly 400-year-old sculpted canopy towering over the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica will be surrounded by scaffolding for most of 2024 as it is washed, repaired and restored.
Standing over 30 feet tall, the baldachin, designed by Baroque master Gian Lorenzo Bernini, has stood over the tomb of St. Peter since 1634. And for all that time it has gathered dust, cracks and rust despite regular cleanings.
As a result, “we can’t not intervene” to restore the structure, said Alberto Capitanucci, the head engineer of the Fabbrica di San Pietro-the office responsible for upkeep of the basilica.
Speaking at a news conference announcing the Vatican’s restoration plans on 11th January, Capitanucci said the procedure will follow that of the baldachin’s last recorded restoration in 1758, only using an independent scaffolding structure that was not previously possible to build.
The restoration process will begin after 12th February, and the scaffolding, which will allow for direct restoration work, will be installed around the baldachin before Holy Week, Capitanucci said. The entire restoration process is expected to last about 10 months and papal liturgical ceremonies will continue to take place at the altar.
Picture: Alberto Capitanucci, head engineer of St. Peter’s Basilica, speaks at the Vatican during a news conference on plans to restore the massive baldachin that stands over the basilica’s main altar, 11th January 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)