For over six decades, Our Lady of Montserrat has held a special place in the Vatican. This is the so-called White Moreneta, donated in 1963 to Pope Paul VI by the then-president of Brazil.
This statue reproduces the patroness of Catalonia, but with one noticeable difference: the Vatican Virgin has light skin.
Since 2011, at the request of Pope Benedict XVI, the Virgin of Montserrat has been present at major papal celebrations in the Vatican Basilica and in St. Peter’s Square.
The laboratories of the Vatican Museums are responsible for restoring and maintaining images like the Moreneta. For them, it is a task that goes far beyond mere preservation.
Theirs is a quiet labor that ensures the works not only endure over time but also retain their meaning and value.
BAM
Trans. CRT
