Pope Francis greets Microsoft President Brad Smith today in Vatican City. | Vatican Media
Letter #48, 2024, Monday, November 11: Microsoft
Microsoft and several other companies, in collaboration with the Fabbrica of San Pietro, spent the last two and a half years creating a stunning new visual presentation of the St. Peter’s Basilica using drones and extraordinary new digital technologies.
The results were presented today.
Pilgrims will be able to see the results in person in rooms around the base of the basilica’s cupola when visiting the basilica.
Along with several dozen other journalists from the Vatican press corps, I was able to attend today’s “opening,” and was stunned by the beauty of the imagery and also by the astonishing close-ups of features one simply cannot see clearly with the naked eye because they are too far away. So today I learned many things about the basilica I had never known despite many years of entering and viewing the myriad works of sublime art and architecture of the basilica.
The color, clarity and closeness of the imagery is magnificent.
Some of the images are available at this link.–RM
Below, a photo of Pope Francis viewing one of the images in the new project’s incredibly detailed, up-close presentation of all aspects of the largest church in the world, St Peter’s Basilica
Here is a Vatican News report today on the project:
AI offers pilgrims and visitors enhanced experience of St. Peter’s Basilica (link)
A partnership between the Vatican and Microsoft gives life to a new digital portal that aims to bring St. Peter’s Basilica closer to the global audience and enhance the experience of pilgrims and visitors.
By Fabio Colagrande and Linda Bordoni
Entitled “St. Peter’s Basilica: AI-Enhanced Experience,” an AI-enabled project was unveiled on Monday in collaboration with Microsoft and Iconem, a heritage digitalization company, as the Church prepares for the Jubilee celebrations in 2025.
As speakers at a press conference explained, the digital creation of a replica of St. Peter’s Basilica allows for immersive virtual tours and in-depth digital exhibitions that bring the grandeur of the Renaissance marvel into much sharper focus.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, expressed his delight during the briefing, comparing the experience to gazing at a “starry sky on a summer night.”
“The new tools act like a telescope or spaceship for better viewing,” he said, capturing the essence of this remarkable digital expansion.
A partnership between ancient and modern
The partnership between the Vatican and Microsoft is notable not only for its ambition but also for its innovative use of technology in service of faith and heritage, said Microsoft President Brad Smith, speaking at the press conference.
In an interview with Vatican News’ Fabio Colagrande, Smith reflected on the unique role technology can play in bridging past and present.
“I believe it adds to the spiritual experience of pilgrims coming to Rome,” he said, recalling that “Just going through it myself yesterday, gave me even more insight into the memory of Saint Peter, his life, and what he stood for. It brings that history to life.”
Smith explained that the virtual experience offers a new perspective, allowing viewers to “see parts of the Basilica that one cannot see,” and through the digital exhibit, visitors can access spaces usually out of reach, like the Roman tombs below and intricate artwork in the Basilica’s high dome.
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And this is what Pope Francis said today to Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the Franciscan now in charge of St. Peter’s Basilica, and to Microsoft’s executives, and the executives of various other teams which collaborated on this project, in a Vatican audience:
ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO THE DELEGATION OF TECHNICIANS AND PARTNERS OF THE FABRIC OF ST PETER’S
Consistory Hall
Monday, 11 November 2024
[Multimedia] Your Eminence,
Dear brothers and sisters!
I greet you with gratitude, because your visit attests to the industriousness with which you are undertaking new projects and collaborations for the benefit of Saint Peter’s Basilica. This house of prayer for all peoples (cf. Is 56:7; Mt 21:13) was entrusted to us by those who have preceded us in faith and in the apostolic ministry. Therefore, it is a gift and a task to take care of it, both in a spiritual and material sense, also through the most recent technologies.
Such tools particularly challenge our creativity and responsibility. Indeed, the correct and constructive use of a potential that is certainly useful, but ambivalent, depends on us. At times, it happens that the tool overrides the purpose for which it should serve: it is as if the frame were to become more important than the picture. It is therefore necessary to govern technology, recalling that its products are good not only when they work, but primarily when they help us grow.
This principle applies even more to Saint Peter’s Basilica, and for the various interventions it requires, so that it may be for all visitors a living place of faith and history, a hospitable dwelling, a temple for the encounter with God and with the brothers and sisters who come to Rome from all over the world. Everyone, truly everyone, must feel welcomed in this great house: those who have faith and those in search of faith; those who come to contemplate the artistic beauty of Rome and those who want to decipher its cultural codes.
In this regard, let us recall that the original nucleus of the Basilica is the tomb of Peter, the disciple whom the Lord Jesus elected as first among the apostles, entrusting to him the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Mt 16:18). This is evidenced by the huge Greek and Latin inscriptions that from above accompany the faithful to the altar of the Cathedra. The planned works should have the same purpose: to accompany the men and women of today; to support their journey as disciples, following the example of Simon Peter. Therefore, I would like to leave you three criteria to guide your work: the listening of prayer, the gaze of faith, the pilgrim’s touch. Let these senses, at once bodily and spiritual, intelligently order the initiatives to be taken.
First of all, listening to prayer: I encourage the commitment of the Fabric and its collaborators in the adoption of technologies that favour not only an interactive participation of people, but above all their awareness of the sacred place, which is a space for meditation.
Secondly, the outlook of faith, to use the cutting-edge tools with a missionary style, not touristic, without seeking the attraction of special effects, but rather investing in new means to narrate the faith of the Church and the culture it has shaped.
Finally, the touch of the pilgrim: throughout the centuries, sculptural, pictorial and architectural art were placed at the service of the people of God using the best technologies of the time. Our predecessors worked wonderfully! May every new project be in continuity with the same pastoral intent.
Thank you for your resourcefulness. I bless all of you and your work from my heart. And I ask you, please, to pray for me.
Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 11 November 2024
And here is a summary of various aspects of this extraordinary project by my colleague Anna Artymiak, a Polish journalist in Rome, who was also present at the “opening”:
By Anna Artymiak
I spoke with Fr. Enzo Fortunato, spokesperson of the Fabbrica of Saint Peter he confirmed me that:
— an educational project on the Minecraft model, a streaming of the celebrations, a podcast with meditation will be launched in January;
— Pétros ení (“Peter is here”) Exhibition is available for visitors already from tomorrow, Tuesday, November 12. You just need to buy a ticket to the Dome and you have an opportunity to see the exhibitions. The ticket costs 10 euros and the visit to the Dome starts already at 7:30 am at closes at 8 pm during summer time and at 5 pm during winter time.
Some quotations taken from the brochure and some other sources:
“The project is a groundbreaking partnership between the Fabbrica of Saint Peter, Microsoft, and Iconem, combining expertise in technology, cultural heritage, and preservation.
“From the Fabrica of Saint Peter side, the exhibition project was coordinated by Fr. Francesco Occhetta with scientific advice of Peter Zander with support of Microsoft team members. Narration is done by Fr. Agnello Stoia, parish priest of the Basilica. From Iconem side the exhibition was designed by two graphic designers and 3D artists: Chloe’ Martin and Julie Dubois, and two R&D engineers and photogrammetry experts: Marjorie Coulin and Paul Aubineau.
The Octagons exhibit is a specialized, reservation-only, ticketed experience designed for a more focused and curated journey through select artifacts and significant spaces within St. Peter’s Basilica.
1. Photogrammetry & Digital Scanning: Iconem led the creation of the digital imagery by capturing over 400,000 high-resolution images using advanced photogrammetry techniques. Their team spent three weeks scanning the Basilica using various devices, including drones, cameras and lasers. This data was used to create an ultra-precise 3D model, known as the “digital twin” of St. Peter’s Basilica. AI-generated imagery, derived from the photogrammetry data, enhances visualization of both the interior and exterior of the Basilica, helping experts and the public alike explore the site’s intricate details.
2. AI-Powered Data Processing: Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab processed the vast data from Iconem’s photogrammetry, refining the “digital twin” with millimeter-level accuracy. AI algorithms fill in gaps, enhance details, and create a seamless virtual reconstruction. Additionally, AI helps detect and map structural vulnerabilities in the Basilica, such as cracks and missing mosaic tiles, to guide future preservation efforts.
3. Technological Standards and Innovation: This project sets a new standard in digital preservation by using dynamic tiling to display the 3D model of St. Peter’s Basilica at maximum resolution without overloading computing systems. The model’s vast complexity—captured by Iconem through photogrammetry—allows users to interact with the Basilica’s details in real time. This innovative method could serve as a future model for virtual heritage site preservation, redefining how digital environments are navigated and experienced.
4. Creation of the Digital Twin: The heart of the project is the creation of the “digital twin” — a virtual, highly accurate replica of St. Peter’s Basilica. This allows global audiences to explore the Basilica in ways that were previously impossible, regardless of location. The digital twin also serves as a vital tool for historians, architects, and conservators, providing unprecedented detail for study and preservation.
Missing Mosaic Tiles: Photogrammetry revealed previously hidden or lost mosaic tiles, enriching the Basilica’s artistic narrative.
Structural Vulnerabilities: AI analysis identified cracks and fissures invisible to the naked eye, providing essential data for restoration and long-term preservation work. These insights will continue to inform ongoing preservation efforts as the project evolves.
Ornate Ceiling Discovery: During renovations, Vatican teams uncovered an ornate ceiling featuring colored bricks arranged in an Archimedean spiral, a typical Roman brickwork style from the period. This unexpected finding adds to the Basilica’s rich architectural history and will contribute to the ongoing restoration efforts.
1. What is La Basilica di San Pietro project? La Basilica di San Pietro project is a collaborative effort between the Vatican, Microsoft, and Iconem, aimed at digitally preserving and making St. Peter’s Basilica accessible globally. It combines advanced photogrammetry, AI, and digital preservation to create a digital twin, launch two immersive exhibitions, and offer an interactive website for virtual exploration.
2. What is photogrammetry, and how does it relate to this project? Photogrammetry involves capturing thousands of images from multiple angles to create a 3D digital model. In this project, Iconem captured over 400,000 high-resolution images of St. Peter’s Basilica, which were then processed by AI to form a detailed digital twin, providing access for both virtual exploration and preservation insights.
3. What is the digital twin, and why is it significant? The digital twin is a 3D model of the Basilica, created using photogrammetry and AI. It allows virtual visitors to explore the Basilica in detail and serves as a valuable tool for ongoing preservation and education.
[End, supplementary report by Anna Artymiak]
Special note: If you would like to visit Rome with Inside the Vatican staff and writers during the Jubilee of 2025, please reserve a spot on one of our 2025 Italy pilgrimages, or write to us by return email to ask us to develop a special custom pilgrimage for you and your family and friends or parish, with dates suitable to you. –-RM
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Thank you! —RM
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