Vatican unveils initiatives to mark 400th anniversary of St. Peter’s Basilica

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica and President of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, presented various initiatives to celebrate the 400-year anniversary of the dedication of St. Peter's Basilica.

During the press conference on Monday in the Holy See Press Office, he said that the year will begin on 20 February with the inauguration of a new Via Crucis and will conclude on 18 November with a Holy Mass presided over by Pope Leo XIV.

Multilingual liturgical platform

Describing a year of spiritual, cultural, and technological developments, Cardinal Gambetti revealed new services for pilgrims and visitors. For example, he anticipated a multilingual liturgical platform developed with the Dicastery for Communication and Translated, a global leader in AI-based language solutions.

It will offer real-time AI-assisted translations accessible by smartphone, enabling faithful to follow the principal celebrations in their chosen language.

At the entrance and at various points within the Basilica, it will be possible to scan a QR code to access a dedicated webpage providing both audio and text translations, without the need to download applications or use special equipment. 

The translation system is based on the live interpreting capabilities of Lara, the artificial intelligence translation platform developed by Translated.

Access to previously inaccesible areas

Moreover, he explained, previously inaccessible areas of the monumental complex will be opened to the public, which include the entire terrace, with its three fan-shaped sections, and the Octagonal Halls, housing the models of the Basilica by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and of Michelangelo’s Dome, together with works from the Basilica’s museum archive.

A new real-time booking system, Smart Pass, he noted, will help regulate visitor flows while safeguarding the sacred character of the site.

He said that an expanded digital ecosystem will allow pilgrims to share prayers and testimonies.

Cardinal Gambetti explained that celebrating the centenary is not merely recalling a date, but “bringing back to the heart” what gives life and hope. 

Spiritual accompaniment and renewal

The Archpriest of the Basilica announced weekly “Spiritual Elevations” of prayer and sacred music, along with pastoral lectures and scriptural reflections on Saint Peter.

Furthermore, there will be a special pilgrimage route retracing the footsteps of Saint Peter and Paul in Rome, and a theatrical performance near the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on 29 June.

Finally, the Cardinal presented “Beyond the Visible” joint project of the Fabric of Saint Peter and the Italian multinational energy company Eni, which aims to safeguard the structural stability of the Vatican Basilica through integrated and permanent structural monitoring.

A new font

Additionally, he noted the Vatican will make available a new institutional font, which will be called “Michelangelus,” inspired by the handwriting of Buonarroti and developed by Studio Gusto, which will be included in the Microsoft Office package.

Cardinal Gambetti concluded by reflecting that if Pope Julius II once had to rebuild in order to renew, today renewal can take place without demolition, thanks to advanced technologies, which, he reassured, will enable Saint Peter’s Basilica to continue welcoming pilgrims for centuries to come.