Today, April 13, 2025, the official inauguration ceremony of the Holy See Pavilion at Expo 2025 took place. For the first time in the history of Expos, the Holy See Pavilion is hosted inside the Italian Pavilion.
The inaugural event was attended by the Pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and General Commissioner of the Holy See Pavilion, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Antonio Tajani, and the General Commissioner of the Italy Pavilion Ambassador Mario Vattani.
The Holy See Pavilion, in line with the chosen theme “Beauty Brings Hope”, will display the great masterpiece by Caravaggio, ‘The Deposition’, loaned by the Vatican Museums. For the first time in Japan, visitors will be able to contemplate the painting at the artist's eye level, focusing on details of the work that would otherwise not be visible. A tactile panel will also be made available for visually impaired visitors, allowing them to experience the painting in 3D format.
To accompany the visitor experience, the project "Silent Echoes of the Great Bell", a sound installation by Bill Fontana which reproduces the hidden vibrations of the bell of St. Peter's Basilica will be available to visitors.
The design of the Pavilion is by MCA - Mario Cucinella Architects Architecture Studio - and is inspired by the Ideal City of the Renaissance.
At the inauguration, Archbishop Fisichella expressed gratitude for the hospitality of the Italian Pavilion and said: “Our gratitude for the fact that we have been able to bring this great work of art here goes first of all to the late Pope Francis: it was he who wanted, desired and decided that the only work by Caravaggio in the Vatican Museums should come here to Osaka to be admired and contemplated by millions of people. Pope Francis wanted this pavilion to create a space for dialogue and that will happen through the various events that will be organized in the next six months.”
The inauguration was made memorable too by the Carabinieri band who played the Italian national anthem and the Papal anthem.
