Vatican to begin broadcasting papal events in high definition

Published: 2007-03-29

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Keeping in step with the fast pace of communications technology, the Vatican television center is to begin broadcasting in high definition. The first papal event to be aired using the new format will be a special April 15 Mass celebrating Pope Benedict XVI's April 16 birthday. "We've realized that if we want to continue to do a good job of broadcasting footage of the pope to other television stations, we have to be ready for the day" when high definition is expected to become the norm in television broadcasting, said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman and head of the Vatican television center, or CTV. CTV, which is in charge of producing, broadcasting and archiving filmed Vatican and papal events, must keep up with new technology, said Father Lombardi. If they don't keep up, "people won't be able to see the pope anymore" on their television screens, he said.

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