Newly Restored Reliquary Bust and Veil of Saint Agatha is presented in Catania, Sicily

Renewed Beauty and Original Color

A renewed Saint Agatha, restored by Vatican experts to its full splendor thanks to the meticulous conservation work on the reliquary that once covered her tomb.

The faithful gathered in the Cathedral Basilica of Catania on the evening of Monday, 20 July, to admire the results of the restoration presented by the specialist team of the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage of the Governorate of Vatican City State, led by Barbara Pinto Folicaldi.

During the cerimony, the restored image of Saint Agatha was unveiled, revealing once again her original beauty and color. Among those speaking at the event were the Archbishop of Catania, Most Reverend Monsignor Luigi Renna, the mayor of Catania, Enrico Trantino, the Superintendent for Cultural and Environmental Heritage of Catania, Maurizio Auteri, the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Sr Raffaella Petrini, and the Director of Museums and Cultural Heritage, Barbara Jatta. Also present were the Secretary General of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Archbishop Giuseppe Andrea Salvatore Baturi, the Rector of the Cathedral, Monsignor Barbaro Scionti, and the Deputy Administrative Director of the Vatican Museums, Alberto Albanese.

The technical details of the restoration were subsequently presented by the project director, Elisabetta Cioni, together with the restorers from the Vatican Museums.

The event concluded with a prayer led by Archbishop Renna, who then displayed the relic of the head of the Patron Saint of Catania for the veneration of the faithful. On this occasion, the reliquary bust, containing Saint Agatha's skull, the veil, and a tactile three-dimensional bust displaying the restored ex-voto jewels were exhibited.

During the restoration, the relic of Saint Agatha's skull was removed from the bust and placed in a reliquary to allow for its public veneration. It will be returned to its original reliquary on 17 August, the day commemorating the return of the Saint's relics from Constantinople to Catania. This year, the celebration also marks the ninth centenary of the Translation of the Relics (1126–2026).

For this occasion, Pope Leo XIV appointed Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, as Papal Legate for the celebrations of the Ninth Centenary of the Return of the Relics of Saint Agatha to Catania, to be held on 16 and 17 August 2026.

Address by the President of the Governorate

Your Excellency Archbishop Luigi Renna,

Distinguished Representatives of the Regional and Municipal Institutions,

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Religious, Civil and Military Authorities,

Dear Guests,

First of all, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude for the warm welcome extended to me and to the delegation of the Governorate of Vatican City State present here today, as well as for your numerous and heartfelt participation.

The Ninth Centenary of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Agatha is an occasion of the highest significance, in which profound faith, centuries-old devotion to the sacred remains of the Saint, and artistic endeavor—understood in its noblest sense as an instrument of evangelization—come together in one solemn celebration.

The Governorate, which I have the honor to represent, has followed every delicate stage of the restoration of the reliquary bust and the precious Veil with deep devotion and the utmost professional care. This work of extraordinary complexity was entrusted to the outstanding specialist team of the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage, led with dedication and exemplary expertise by Barbara Pinto Folicaldi.

We are fully aware of what Saint Agatha represents for this community. She is not merely its Patron Saint; she is its Mother, its faithful Guardian, its Protectress, to whom the people turn in times of trial. Throughout the centuries, the people of Catania have always gathered around "their" Saint whenever adversity struck. The bond between this fearless witness to Christ—a young woman of unwavering faith, even to the supreme sacrifice of her life—and her faithful remains unbreakable.

For this reason, the conservation work takes on a significance that transcends its purely artistic and technical dimension, touching the deepest chords of spirituality and collective identity. Restoring the original splendor of the sacred reliquary that safeguards the Saint's relics is, in itself, an act of veneration and profound homage to her martyrdom.

Aware that transferring both the reliquary and the relics outside the Cathedral would have involved considerable logistical challenges, we deemed it appropriate to carry out the restoration on site. Thus, the reliquary bust—a masterpiece of fourteenth-century goldsmith's art—was restored within the Archbishop's Palace, in the heart of Catania.

Commissioned in 1376 by Bishop Marziale to the renowned goldsmith Giovanni di Bartolo, the gilded silver bust houses the sacred skull of the Virgin Martyr. The work portrays Saint Agatha flanked by two angels, presenting her with a serene countenance made even more gentle by the rediscovery of its original polychromy.

Over the centuries, popular devotion enriched the sacred image with a remarkable and layered collection of ex-voto offerings. Precious necklaces, gold pendants, enamel ornaments, pearls, brooches, and medallions were removed with the utmost care from the repoussé and chased silver surface. Each jewel was then meticulously catalogued and repositioned on a specially designed bodice fitted to a faithful three-dimensional replica of the reliquary.

Every stage of the restoration was preceded by thorough diagnostic investigations conducted by the Scientific Research Laboratory of the Vatican Museums. The structural and aesthetic conservation work was carried out by the Vatican Museums' Metals and Ceramics Restoration Laboratory, while the Veil—another fundamental object of devotion—was entrusted to the Museums' Tapestries and Textiles Restoration Laboratory.

Thanks to the expert dedication of all the professionals involved and to the exemplary collaboration established between the Archdiocese of Catania and the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage of the Governorate, the reliquary bust is today returned to the veneration of the faithful in the fullness of its original beauty.

On behalf of the Governorate of Vatican City State, I am very pleased to offer the Archdiocese and the entire community of Catania, especially in the period of this Jubilee, a renewed priceless artifact that safeguards the sacred memory of your territory: the living and enduring presence of Agatha, your beloved Patron Saint and a lasting symbol of unity, charity, fidelity, and hope.

Thank you.