17th-century gilded manuscript of Bernini's St. Peter's Basilica altar canopy extortion attempt by ex-Vatican employee.
A former Vatican employee has been detained on charges of attempted extortion after allegedly trying to sell a 17th-century gilded manuscript describing the designs of Giovan Lorenzo Bernini's altar canopy for St. Peter's Basilica back to the Holy See. The 18-page manuscript, containing the first known specifications for the canopy's gilding, had disappeared from the basilica archives. The individual, who had previously worked for the Fabbrica di San Pietro, attempted to sell the manuscript to the Fabbrica when he was arrested on May 27. The former employee remains in Vatican detention.
June 06, 2024
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