London - Porsche has rented the Sistine Chapel, the Pope’s private place of prayer, for a party.
It is the first time anyone has been able to hire the chapel, one of the most famous places in Christianity, where popes have been elected for centuries. The German car-maker’s guests will have exclusive access to some of the world’s greatest frescos tomorrow, including Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment, the newspaper Il Messaggero reported. They will also hear a performance of Rossini’s mass Petite Messe Solennelle.
The fee will go to the sick and the homeless, in line with Pope Francis’s wishes. But some officials are likely to view turning the chapel into a rental space with concern, not least since singer Justin Bieber was criticised last week for kicking a ball around the Vatican during a £16,000 private tour.
The Vatican earns £70million annually by charging tourists to see the chapel, pictured. Yesterday, it said it would cap the number at six million a year to protect the frescos from pollution.
Daily Mail