[Referring to the restoration of the basilica] the General Custos of Assisi, Friar Marco MORONI, said: “This jewel of beauty, history and spirituality truly deserved such an important, collective effort.”
Twenty-five years ago, on November 28, 1999, with the restoration work of the Utopia Construction Site completed, the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi reopened its doors to the public after the earthquake of September 1997. Those attending the reopening ceremony included His Eminence Cardinal Angelo SODANO and the then President of the Republic of Italy, Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI.
The restoration was a remarkable achievement completed in just over two years. It involved the reconstruction of collapsed vaults and approximately 200 square meters [2153 square feet] of frescoes. A total of 300,000 fragments were meticulously recovered, thanks to the efforts of students from the University of Tuscia, faculty and students from the Central Institute for Restoration, and the Superintendency of Umbria. Of these fragments, 220,000 were repositioned by twenty professional restorers under the guidance of the Extraordinary Commissioner, Antonio PAOLUCCI. Today the remaining 80,000 fragments have been preserved and catalogued.
Additionally, work was undertaken to restore the bell tower and other damaged areas of the Sacred Convent complex.
“The Basilica is a unique treasure trove of art,” declared Professor Sergio FUSETTI, the chief restorer of the Basilica. “In a sense, the restoration efforts that began at that time have never truly ended. Maintenance is crucial. Just a few months ago, we completed a cycle of restorations on the side chapels of the lower church. We will pause during the Jubilee Year and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death with the hope of resuming work on the frescoes painted by the Master of St. Francis, located in the nave of the lower church.”
Friar Marco MORONI explained further: “On November 28, 1999, just before the start of the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, a few weeks before the Holy Door in St. Peter’s, the portal of the upper church of the Basilica of St. Francis was reopened, ready once again to welcome crowds of visitors. After just over two years of work, the Basilica was returned to worship. Cardinal SODANO celebrated a solemn Mass there that day for those eager to enjoy the wonder of the frescoes and the elegance of the architecture. The undertaking seemed impossible; rebuilding the vaults that had collapsed during the devastating earthquake of September 26, 1997, an earthquake that took the lives of four people, was truly a gamble. The gamble was won and the Utopia Construction Site successfully completed its work in a very short time.
“Words will never be enough to express my gratitude to those who, defying the reasonable doubts of many and the controversies that always accompany such choices, immediately began the reconstruction work. The work involved firefighters, engineers, technicians, restorers, and other workers at various levels. The then General Custos, Friar Giulio BERRETTONI; the Extraordinary Commissioner, Antonio PAOLUCCI; the political authorities; and the Superintendency, believed in the project until the end. They worked together, seeking the necessary funding from both public and private sources. They did everything possible to navigate bureaucratic obstacles, using the wisdom they had gained from their collective effort.
“This jewel of beauty, history and spirituality truly deserved such an important, collective effort, so that it could be given back to the pilgrims, tourists and art lovers, and be returned to a place of encounter with God in the name of Francis of Assisi.
“We find ourselves once again on the verge of a Jubilee Year, twenty-five years after that moment of grace when not only a portal was opened, but also a future of hope. Who knows how many people have crossed this threshold since then, and how many have been able to experience the presence of God!
“The work in the basilica has never stopped during all these years. After renovating the upper church, the splendid frescoes of the lower church were restored. Grace continues to be bestowed upon those who visit this sacred place and enjoy the art it contains—a sublime means of narrating God’s story and that of His servant Francis.
“It is good for us friars to be here, in this time of Jubilee and Franciscan Centenary, ready to meet, welcome and share, always with a feeling of deep gratitude to those who have preceded us and in different ways have kept alive, even here, the witness of the Gospel.”
Press Room – Andrea ROSSI
Sacred Convent of St. Francis
