Rome, Italy, Dec 15, 2009 / 23:09 pm
L’Osservatore Romano announced this week that the Vatican Apostolic Library, which was closed for renovation on July 14, 2007, will re-open to the public on September 20, 2010.
In article published by LOR, Cesare Pasini, prefect of the Library, said its task is to “welcome scholars in a climate of reflection and with a spirit of research.”
“Upon re-opening after three years, the first thing that should be done is to thank those ahead-of-time who will return to the Vatican to study, restoring to the library its role” and giving us the joy of “ensuring the functionality of this institution.”
“We cannot hide our enthusiasm in returning to the place where we serve,” he said, adding that the real excitement is in “the presence of visitors.” Pasini noted that in November, there is scheduled to be “a congress on the Vatican as a place of research and as an institution at the service of scholars.”
He also announced that there would be a “display in the Charlemagne Wing entitled, ‘Getting to Know the Vatican. The Vatican Apostolic Library: History Open to the Future'.”
The Philatelic and Numismatic Office of Vatican City also announced it would issue special stamps to commemorate the re-opening.