Secretary General meets the Washington D.C. Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums

Gratitude for the valuable contribution

Christmas is always an opportunity to gather together in friendship and communion, as it is also for those who are united in their vocation and mission to preserve the artistic, historical and cultural heritage of the Vatican Museums in order to pass it on to the next generations.

The pre-Christmas dinner with the Washington D.C. Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, was an occasion for Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate, to thank the Chapter for its generous contribution to the mission of the Museums, which permitted the completion of indispensable projects.

The members of the Chapter were led by Arthur and Sue Lohsen, and accompanied by Msgr. Terence Hogan, Coordinator of the Office for Relations with Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums. The dinner was held on Saturday evening, 14 December, at the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States of America, in the presence of the Nuncio, Cardinal Christophe Pierre.

The Washington D.C. Chapter has supported various projects with their precious financial support. The Chapter’s most recent contribution was the adoption of the Testa di Faustina Maggiore, the head of an ancient statue in white marble, which had become opaque and darkened due to the presence of significant amounts of deposits. The head also had various stains, and there were incongruencies on its surface, as well as on the bust (from the modern age), including some cracks, fractures and small and medium gaps. Thanks to the contribution of the Chapter, the work was restored to its ancient splendour. In 2023, the Chapter had also financed a project to preserve and maintain the Necropolis of Saint Rosa, and thanks to the support of Patron Monica Adorno, a project in the Sistine Chapel in 2021. Two years earlier, it had financed the restoration of Wall XLV of the Chiaramonti Gallery.