Pope names art historian as new director of Vatican Museums

Published: 2007-12-04

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI has chosen an art historian and former Italian cultural minister to be the new director of the Vatican Museums. The appointment of Antonio Paolucci, 68, was announced Dec. 4. The same day, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict appointed Francesco Buranelli, an archaeologist and the museums' director since 1996, to be the new secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church and an officer in the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archeology. Paolucci spent years overseeing local and regional government offices responsible for museums and monuments, including a term as superintendent of the Polo Museale in Florence, Italy, which runs the famous Uffizi Gallery. In 1995-96, he served as Italy's culture minister. After a September 1997 earthquake devastated the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, the Italian government named Paolucci director of the restoration effort.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .