Vatican to point live webcam at St. Peter’s tomb, publish monthly magazine

Vatican City, Nov 25, 2024 / 14:35 pm

The Vatican on Monday publicized further initiatives undertaken by St. Peter’s Basilica in light of the 2025 Jubilee Year — including a new magazine and a livestream of the tomb of St. Peter.

Pope Francis will inaugurate the live webcam of the tomb of the apostle and first pope on Dec. 2.

The Vatican also announced the publication of a new magazine, under the direction of the leadership of St. Peter’s Basilica, called "Piazza San Pietro." A regular feature of the new monthly will be a “Letters to the Editor” column, in which Pope Francis will respond to readers’ letters.

The periodical, whose pilot issue is out now, will be published in English, Spanish, and Italian. It can be purchased at the new visitor center for St. Peter’s Basilica or via mail subscription.

In a speech introducing the periodical, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv., called its publication “a courageous choice, which the creativity and energy of Father Enzo [Fortunato] pushed us to do…”

Father Enzo Fortunato, OFM Conv., communications director for St. Peter’s Basilica since January, has been a prominent media personality in Italy since the late 1990s. He also has experience with institutional communications for the Franciscans.

At a Nov. 25 press conference at the Vatican, Fortunato pointed out Pope Francis’ invitation to journalists to “wear out the soles of your shoes,” calling it a “strong reminder of traditional journalism, for deeper immersion in reality, for direct contact with places, but most of all with people.”

“This is our idea of communication, this is our strategy, the heart of the communication plan,” he said, speaking about St. Peter’s Basilica.

Father Orazio Pepe, secretary of the Fabric of St. Peter, read Gambetti’s remarks after the cardinal could not attend the press conference as planned.

The Vatican also announced two other novelties regarding the basilica on Monday.

The Fabric of St. Peter will make available a multipurpose room inside the basilica’s offices for holding press conferences and briefings with journalists and St. Peter’s Basilica will be rebranded with a custom font, to be used on a new website launching in 2025.