St Peter’s tomb is now being livestreamed as the Vatican embraces technology in its quest to connect with Catholics in far-flung places during holy year, an event expected to bring as many as 33 million pilgrims to Rome.
Pope Francis on Monday inaugurated the live webcam, which has been installed at the tomb of the apostle beneath the main altar of St Peter’s Basilica.
A webcam will also be placed on the basilica’s huge bronze holy door, which Francis will open on 24 December to officially mark the beginning of the Jubilee 2025, a year of celebrations for Catholics around the world to reconnect with their faith.
The opening of the door, which is bricked up between jubilee years, is especially poignant for pilgrims as those who walk through it will be granted a plenary indulgence, something Catholics believe cleanses the soul from sin. For pilgrims who cannot travel to Rome, the webcam grants them “symbolic” access, the Vatican said.
The Vatican has also used artificial intelligence-enabled technology to create a stunning 3D replica of St Peter’s Basilica that will allow virtual visitors to explore every nook and cranny of the Renaissance-era building. The great masters of the period, Michelangelo and Bernini, contributed to the basilica’s design.
A Catholic jubilee usually occurs every 25 years. The theme for 2025 is “pilgrims of hope”.
“It’s basically a moment for Catholics to restore their belief in God, to restore their faith,” said Paddy Agnew, a Vatican reporter for Ireland’s Sunday Independent. “They come to Rome on the basis of all sorts of blessings to be received.”
The Vatican also plans to launch an app that will guide pilgrims in Rome, for example on where they can obtain a plenary indulgence. Other than St Peter’s, they can receive such a blessing by going to pray at the basilicas of San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore or San Paolo Fuori le Mura, or at seven other churches.
“Technology is part of everyone’s strategy and the Vatican doesn’t want to miss out on that,” Agnew said. “It’s simply a means to a result and the result is to spread the good news.”
Rome is gearing up for the event, with much of the city an open-air construction site as monuments are restored, roads are fixed and pedestrian areas restyled. The works have been a source of frustration for local people and tourists alike, but the mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, has promised that once they are completed “Rome will be more beautiful and efficient than before”.
