Fabric of Saint Peter
{{Short description|Catholic institution responsible for the conservation and maintenance of St. Peter's Basilica}}
{{Politics of Vatican City}}
{{use dmy|date=April 2025}}
The Fabric of Saint Peter ({{Langx|la|Reverenda Fabrica Sancti Petri}}, {{Langx|it|Fabbrica di San Pietro}}) is a Catholic institution responsible for the conservation and maintenance of St. Peter's Basilica and exercising vigilance over its sacred character and the organization of visitors. While it is not part of the Roman Curia, the 2022 apostolic constitution Praedicate evangelium recognized it as "associated with the Holy See."{{Cite web |title=Praedicate Evangelium, sulla Curia Romana e il suo servizio alla Chiesa nel Mondo | date = 19 March 2022 | author = Pope Francis |url= https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/apost_constitutions/documents/20220319-costituzione-ap-praedicate-evangelium.html |access-date= 10 January 2023 |website= The Holy See | at= Article 244 }}
History
The Fabric has existed under various names and varying responsibilities since its foundation in 1523, when Pope Clement VII established a commission to build and administer the Basilica.{{cite web |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/31642/vatican-declines-ransom-offer-for-stolen-michelangelo-letters |title=Vatican declines random offer for stolen Michelangeo letters |work=Catholic News Agency |accessdate=2025-04-23}}
On 29 June 2020, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Mario Giordana, a veteran papal diplomat, to lead a commission to reform the Fabric's administration. As Extraordinary Commissioner he is to "modernize and reorganize ... administrative and technical offices, improve transparency, and update the statutes" of the Fabric.{{cite press release | access-date = 30 June 2020 | title= Holy See Press Office Communiqué, 30.06.2020 | date = 30 June 2020 | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2020/06/30/200630a.html | publisher = Holy See Press Office }}{{cite news | access-date = 18 November 2020 | url = https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/07/01/vatican-prosecutors-investigate-administration-st-peters-basilica-complex | work = America | date= 1 July 2020 | title = Vatican prosecutors investigate administration of St. Peter's Basilica complex | first = Gerard | last = O'Connell}}
In January 2023, the death of Monsignor Michele Basso, a canon of the basilica, attracted media attention to the art collection he had bequeathed to the Fabric of Saint Peter. The collection remained in storage beneath the dome of the basilica. The press questioned the provenance and value of the artworks, of which little is known.{{cite news | access-date = 10 January 2023 | date = 9 January 2023 | url = https://cruxnow.com/vatican/2023/01/vatican-monsignor-dies-leaving-behind-mysterious-art-collection | work = Crux | title = Vatican monsignor dies, leaving behind mysterious art collection }}{{cite news | access-date = 10 January 2023 | date = 9 January 2023 | language = it | newspaper = Il Messaggero | url = https://www.ilmessaggero.it/vaticano/vaticano_michele_basso_mistero_opere_d_arte_nascoste_che_cosa_sappiamo_chi_era-7154548.html | title = Vaticano, muore il preto del mistero: trenta casse di opere d'arte nascoste nella cupola di San Pietro. Chi era Don Michele Basso }} In 2025, the Fabric of St Peter announced they would be undergoing a number of restoration projects of various monuments and tombs in St. Peter’s Basilica as well as installing new security enhancements.{{cite web |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263425/security-technological-enhancements-made-to-st-peters-basilica |title=Security, technological advancements made to St Peter's Basilica |work=Catholic News Agency |accessdate=2025-04-23}}
Presidents
The archpriest of the Basilica is customarily the president of the Fabric.
- Paolo Marella (14 August 1961{{Snd}}8 February 1983)
- Aurelio Sabattani (8 February 1983{{cite book | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-75-1983-I-ocr.pdf |page= 342 |date=1983 | volume = LXXV | access-date = 2 July 2020}}{{Snd}}1 July 1991)
- Virgilio Noè (1 July 1991{{cite book | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = http://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-83-1991-ocr.pdf |page= 631 |date=1991 | volume = LXXXIII }}{{Snd}}24 April 2002)
- Francesco Marchisano (24 April 2002{{cite press release | access-date = 30 June 2020 | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2002/04/24/0215/00650.html | date= 24 April 2002 | language = it |title= Rinunce e Nomine, 24.04.2002 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}{{Snd}}5 February 2005)
- Angelo Comastri (5 February 2005{{cite press release | access-date = 30 June 2020 | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2005/02/05/0072/00181.html | date= 5 February 2005 | language = it |title= Rinunce e Nomine, 05.02.2005 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}{{Snd}}20 February 2021)
- Mauro Gambetti, O.F.M. Conv. (20 February 2021{{Snd}}present)
References
{{Reflist}}
;Additional sources
- {{cite news | url = https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/248806/pope-francis-makes-changes-to-the-vaticans-chapter-of-st-peter | publisher = Catholic News Agency | date = 28 August 2021 | title = Pope Francis makes changes to the Vatican's Chapter of St. Peter | first = Hannah | last = Brockhaus}}
- {{cite press release | title = Transitory provisions relating to the Chapter of Saint Peter in the Vatican, 28.08.2021 | date = 28 August 2021 | publisher = Holy See Press Office | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/08/28/210828c.html}}
{{Roman Curia footer}}
{{Holy See}}
{{Authority control}}