The Vatican on Feb. 16 announced a year-long series of spiritual, cultural, and technological initiatives to mark the 400th anniversary of the dedication of Saint Peter’s Basilica, including the opening of previously inaccessible areas, a new artificial intelligence (AI) translation platform, and expanded digital services for pilgrims.
Pope Urban VIII consecrated the basilica on Nov. 18, 1626. Its anniversary year will begin Feb. 20 with the inauguration of a new Via Crucis — Latin for “Way of the Cross,” a devotional commemoration of Christ’s passion — and conclude Nov. 18 with a Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti said during a press conference at the Holy See Press Office, according to Vatican News.
Cardinal Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and president of the Fabbrica di San Pietro — the Vatican office responsible for the basilica’s preservation and maintenance — said the anniversary is about “bringing back to the heart” what gives the basilica “life and hope.”
Among the most significant initiatives is a multilingual liturgical platform that will provide real-time, AI-assisted translations of major celebrations in up to 60 languages. The system, developed in collaboration with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication and the language technology company Translated, will allow visitors to scan QR codes inside the basilica to access audio and text translations on their smartphones without downloading an application. The platform is powered by Translated’s AI system known as “Lara.”
The Vatican will also introduce a new booking system, called “Smart Pass,” designed to regulate visitor flows and safeguard the basilica’s “sacred character,” the cardinal said.
In addition, previously inaccessible areas of the complex will be opened to the public, including the entire roof terrace and the Octagonal Halls, which house historic models of the basilica by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger and of Michelangelo’s dome, along with works from the basilica’s museum archive.
Spiritually, the anniversary year will feature weekly “Spiritual Elevations” with prayer, sacred music, pastoral lectures and scriptural reflections on St. Peter. A special pilgrimage route retracing the footsteps of Saints Peter and Paul in Rome and a theatrical performance near the June 29 Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul are also planned.
The Vatican also presented a joint initiative with the Italian energy company Eni titled “Beyond the Visible” (“Oltre il Visibile”), aimed at permanently monitoring the basilica’s structural stability through integrated digital modeling and advanced technologies. The project includes an immersive installation recounting the history of the basilica’s construction, according to a Basilica di San Pietro press release.
As part of the commemorations, the Vatican will release a new institutional font, “Michelangelus,” inspired by the handwriting of Michelangelo and developed by Studio Gusto. The font will be integrated into Microsoft Office.
Reflecting on the basilica’s history, Cardinal Gambetti said that while Pope Julius II once physically rebuilt the church to renew it, today “renewal can take place without demolition, thanks to advanced technologies,” allowing St. Peter’s to continue welcoming pilgrims for centuries to come.