Barrington church to unveil Vatican-endorsed ‘La Pieta’

A Vatican-approved replica of Michelangelo’s masterpiece “La Pieta” will be unveiled Sunday, Aug. 21, at St. Anne Catholic Church in Barrington.

The full-sized reproduction of the famed sculpture, the original of which sits in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, will remain on display at the church through Wednesday, Nov. 2.

The Rev. John R. Gorman will serve as presider and homilist at the reception and blessing at the 11 a.m. Mass and unveiling.

Created in 1498 and 1499, “La Pieta” is the only sculpture Michelangelo personally signed. The work depicting Mary cradling the dead body of Christ in her lap is considered one of the masterpieces of sacred art.

The exhibit will give viewers a rare chance to see Michelangelo’s mastery up close. The original, famously vandalized in 1972 by a man wielding a geologist’s hammer, now sits behind bulletproof glass and must be viewed from 30 feet away.

Vescovo Buonarroti Art, LLC, was granted the exclusive worldwide license by the Vatican Observatory Foundation to create and distribute this official replica of Michelangelo’s masterpiece.

St. Anne Catholic Community is at 120 N. Ela St. For information, visit www.stannebarrington.org or call (847) 382-5300.