The first Jubilee in the age of Artificial Intelligence will allow those who cannot afford it to travel virtually. From any corner of the planet, one can enter St. Peter’s, discover its secrets, and closely observe the most unknown corners and the most curious details thanks to an impressive work carried out by Microsoft, which filmed every square centimeter of the basilica for months with a drone and then created an immersive experience with a strong emotional impact using mathematical models. ‘This time technology truly becomes a bridge for people,’ said Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.
Over 400,000 images, twenty billion dots, two years of work, and costs of millions of dollars (entirely donated by the American tech company to the Vatican) have resulted in a digital copy of the basilica, practically a twin basilica, exactly like the real one, from every point of view, starting from the foundations, the tombs in the necropolis, and the inscription found in the 1960s by Margherita Guarducci – Petrus Eni – (Peter is here) that historically established the exact burial site of the Apostle Peter.
Father Francesco Occhetta, curator of the maxi project, worked behind the scenes for two years. ‘With the digital model that has been created, one will be able to see the basilica in every detail; anyone can do it thanks to a website, and it will be accessible to all Christians, even those living in the most remote corners of the planet who may never have the chance to closely observe the art, history, and places of faith.’ Admire Michelangelo’s Pietà as well as the mosaic of God made at the highest point of the dome, down to the floor level. Bramante, Maderno, Bernini, Canova. ‘We are sure that the reconstruction of the basilica will promote encounter and spirituality.’
The 3D film will be viewable both on the St. Peter’s Basilica website and through a tourist route. For the first time, the Octagons’ rooms, accessible by climbing the first part of the basilica’s roof, have been opened, where an immersive experience has been set up. Huge screens, corridors, projections on the domes. And between one section and another, the internal windows overlooking St. Peter’s altar, fifty meters high, offer a different view, an unforgettable breathtaking perspective. You can closely see the architectural complexities of the monument, travel through the internal space, corridors, wall thickness, paintings, gigantic mosaics, angel statues, and the gilding of the canopy. The ticket price for visitors (only twenty at a time for obvious space reasons, every 20 minutes) has not been set yet, but it will be affordable. No more than 20 euros, assures Father Enzo Fortunato, spokesperson for the basilica. In any case, the show is available to anyone on the site that will be active from December first.
Pope Francis received the entire project team in audience yesterday morning. In addition to encouraging the Fabbrica for adopting innovative technologies that promote ‘awareness of the sacred place, which is a space of meditation and to tell the faith of the Church and the culture it has shaped.’
The portal will be accessible starting in December – coinciding with the beginning of the Jubilee – and is a true ecosystem, within which various technologies converge: an integrated platform, with an open and scalable architecture, Mobile First. Cardinal Gambetti summarizes the portal (capable, among other things, of indicating in real-time the situation of people flows and suggesting visit routes). Those who connect will have a kind of telescope to get closer to the life of the basilica: with information and news, documentation and narratives, videos, and audio online. The telescope will offer a 3D view of the Basilica in photogrammetry. The digital ecosystem will be usable from December first.
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