The performance of the three fragments from the metopes, Frieze and pediments of the Parthenon, which were returned by the Vatican Museums, to the monument to which they belong, the Parthenon, took place today at the Acropolis Museum. This reunification was thanks to the serious and substantial work of all those involved in it, both from the Holy See and the Vatican Museums as well as from the Greek side, the Ministry of Culture and sports and the Acropolis Museum.

From-the-speech-of-Minister-culture-and-Sports-Lina-Mendoni

Fragments attributed to their monument include the head of a man who belongs to stone V of the North frieze of the Parthenon, the head of a imatiophorus man attributed to the South Metope 16 of the Centauromachy and, finally, the head of a horse attributed to a pediment of the Parthenon.

As Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni said in her address, ” the unique spiritual and Philadelphian gesture of His Holiness Pope Francis to His Beatitude Ieronymos, Archbishop of Athens and all Greece, shows in the best possible way how culture can contribute decisively to dialogue, peace, reconciliation of communities, fraternity of peoples.

From the reunion of the fragment on stone 5 of the North Frieze

Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Vatican City State governorate, said 15 days ago at the signing ceremony of the donation protocol, “the most important value of this act is to see once again how the pope’s art collections become a privileged spot of friendship between peoples, religions, churches, overcoming all obstacles.

Knowing what preceded the historic decision of Pope Francis, let me point out how decisive was the contribution of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomeos. Our thanks to him are grateful and lasting.

The gesture of the pontiff helps the just and moral demand of the Greek people, as well as the hard work of the Greek government and personally of the Prime Minister, for the final return and reunification of all the Parthenon Sculptures in Athens.

This is the second definitive reunification of parts of the architectural sculptures of the Parthenon, without conditions. The road opened last year by the Government of the region of Sicily with the final return of the “Fagan” fragment and is now being carried out by the Holy See with the return of the three fragments from the Vatican Museums, is the road that the British side can and should follow, following the majority of the British people who want the final return and reunification of the Parthenon sculptures, thus proving Britain’s leading role in matters of morality and culture.

The reunion of the fragment on South Metope 16

The reunification of the fragments took place in the emblematic Hall of the Parthenon, in the presence of the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Ieronymos II, The Secretary of the Pontifical Council Bishop Brian Farrell, the president of the Hellenic Parliament Constantine Tasoulas, the Minister of Culture and Sports Lina Mendoni, an. Secretary of the Pontifical Council Mr Andrea Palmieri, Secretary General of Culture George Didaskalos, Prof. Barbara Jatta director of the Vatican Museums and the General Director of the Acropolis museum, Prof. Nicholas CHR. Stambolides. The event was attended by the president and members of the Board of Directors of the Acropolis Museum and representatives of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece and the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, among others, said: “it is a great honor and joy to welcome with you today, here, in the Parthenon Hall, the Acropolis Museum, Monsignor Brian Farrell and Monsignor Andrea Palmieri, Secretary and sub-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the promotion of Christian Unity, as well as Professor Barbara Jatta, director of museums and cultural heritage of the Vatican, in fulfillment and completion of the donation of Pope Francis the ecclesiastical authority of Greece, the three fragments from the Frieze, the Metope and the pediment of the Parthenon, which have been kept, since the 19th century, in the valuable collections of the Vatican Museums.»

In his statements, Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and all Greece said “Ιt is with great emotion and joy that I participate in today’s official ceremony of reuniting the three fragments from the Vatican Museums to the architectural sculptures of the Parthenon in the Acropolis Museum.

My emotion is due to the fact that today, before us, the initiative of the dear brother and venerable Primate of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, to donate to my mediocrity, these three fragments, and through me, to restore their place in their natural space , here, in the Hall of the Parthenon of the Acropolis Museum, is completed, incarnated in practice.

This act of Pope Francis is of historic importance and has positive implications on multiple levels.»

The Bishop also addressed Brian Farrell «His Holiness Pope Francis wished that our delegation present at this memorable ceremony should represent the Dicastery responsible for fraternal relations between the Churches – Monsignor Andrea Palmieri and myself, the eminent Director of the Vatican Museums, Dr Barbara Jatta, and the Apostolic Nuncio to Greece, His Excellency Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawlowski. In this way, the gifting of the fragments of the Parthenon, which have been held in the Vatican Museums for more than two centuries, shows itself as an ecclesial, cultural and social gesture of friendship and solidarity with the people of Greece.»

From the ceremony of reuniting the fragments