The Presidential Library’s video lecture spotlighted the images of Russian saints in Rome

On January 30, 2023, the Presidential Library hosted a video lecture The New Sistine Chapel of the 21st Century within the framework of the project Knowledge of Russia. The lecture was delivered by Oleg Ulyanov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts and the Russian Academy of Natural History. He told the story of the reconstruction of the papal chapel Redemptoris Mater (Latin: Mother of the Redeemer), located in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican.

In the spring of 1996, Oleg Ulyanov was invited to Rome with the blessing of Pope John Paul II. There, a grand mosaic was made according to his iconographic program. Thus, thanks to the joint efforts of Orthodox and Catholics, images of Russian saints and even the world-famous image of The Trinity by the great Russian iconographer Andrei Rublev appeared in the papal chapel of Redemptoris Mater in the Vatican.

This innovative mosaic was a spiritual testament to contemporary art, and 25 years later it became highly appreciated worldwide as the “new Sistine Chapel of the 21st century”.

It is impossible to see the mosaic with your own eyes, since the Redemptoris Mater chapel is “fully closed, located not far from the papal quarters, and is open only for church delegations”. This fact, as well as the exclusive photographs and videos presented, emphasized the uniqueness of Oleg Ulyanov’s lecture, turning it into an unusual virtual tour of the “closed” Vatican.

A video recording of the event is available on the institution’s Rutube-channel.

The Presidential Library regularly holds interactive lessons and video lectures. Detailed information is available on the institution’s portal in the Multimedia Lessons section and the Video Lectures for School section. Video recordings of lectures and open lessons are presented there as well.