ThePietaatSt.Anne"Myeyeslongingforbeautifulthingstogetherwithmysoullongingforsalvationhavenootherpowertoascendtoheaventhanthecontemplationofbeautifulthings."-MichelangeloBuonarroti

Michelangeloiswidelyconsideredthegreatestartisticgeniusthateverlived-amanwhosenamehasbecomesynonymouswiththewordmasterpiece.MichelangelocreatedmanyofhisworksfortheVatican,includingthebreathtakingfrescoesintheSistineChapelandtheincrediblybeautifulPieta.Ofallhissculptures,thePietawastheonlyoneheeversigned-itwasboththeconsummateexpressionofhisartisticabilitiesandanembodimentoftheDivineinspirationthatguidedhiswork.InthePieta,MichelangelowasfocusedonevokingtheRenaissanceidealofspiritualbeauty.Beautywastohimdivine;oneofthewaysinwhichGodcommunicates

himselftohumanity.Oneofthegreatestsculpturesevercreated,itstandsasatimelessiconfortheChristianfaith,bringinginspirationtothemillionswhovisitSt.Peter'sBasilicaeveryyear.

RegardingthePieta,GeorgioVasari,thegreatarthistorianwrote:"Itwouldbeimpossibleforanycraftsmanorsculptor,nomatterhowbrilliant,evertosurpassthegraceordesignofthiswork,ortrytocutandpolishthemarblewiththeskillthatMichelangelodisplayed.Itiscertainlyamiraclethataformlessblockofstonecouldeverhavebeenreducedtoaperfectionthatnatureisscarcelyabletocreateintheflesh."

FivehundredyearsagoMichelangelounveiledwhatwouldcometoberegardedasoneoftheworld'sgreatmasterpiecesofinspiredartandperhapsthemostbeautifulsculptureevercreated.Now,underexclusivelicensefromtheVaticanObservatoryFoundation,thismasterpiecehasbeenrecreatedinacastCarreramarblefromaVaticanauthorizedmoldoftheoriginal.ThisposthumousPietaisaprecise1:1castingthatisfaithfulineverydetailtoMichelangelo'soriginal.TheMissionofAtreDivineistofacilitatetheplacementofthesesublimesculpturesinsettingswheretheycanenlightenthemindsandtouchthelivesandheartsofthefaithful.WeareblessedhereatSt.AnneRomanCatholicParishtobeoneofthosefewsettingswheremanywillhavetheopportunitytoexperiencefirsthandthebeautyofthePietá.

IfyouwouldliketoseethePietástaypermanentlyhereatSt.AnneRomanCatholicParish,youcanmakeapledgeordonation.TherewillbenoparishfundsusedforthepurchaseofthePietá,itwillrequirethegenerosityofthosewhowishforittoremainindisplayatSt.AnneRomanCatholicParish.