Sixty years ago, Pope Paul VI visited the Vatican Observatory for the first time. In 1969, he watched live as the first man landed on the moon. And the Observatory, also known as Specola, was created for a specific purpose.
SABINO MAFFEO
Astronomer
It was opened in 1891 by Pope Leo XIII on the suggestion of Fr. Francis Dense to show the world that the Church was not against science.
And it is precisely science, specifically technology, that has made it possible to visit from anywhere in the world the room with the telescope through which Pope Paul VI saw Apollo 11 land.
Thanks to a 3D model, the Vatican Observatory has made it possible for people to tour the Palace of the popes in Castel Gandolfo.
People can virtually walk through the rooms of the Observatory visited by several popes, including John XXIII, Benedict XVI and Francis.
The Vatican Observatory offers this innovative way to get to know its history and to confirm, once again, that science and faith are complementary.
CA
TR: KG
