Skip to content

A sculpture of Jesus at Rome’s airport is taking travelers by surprise

The renowned Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s famous sculpture "Salvator Mundi" (Savior of the World) is on display at Rome's airport.

The next time you are flying through Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport you can see Jesus at Terminal 1.

The renowned Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s famous sculpture Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World) is on display at Rome’s airport. 

Created by Bernini in 1679 and crafted entirely out of marble, Salvator Mundi is a Baroque masterpiece and the last sculpture finished by the master carver before he died in 1680.

The bust depicts Jesus with long, curling hair, looking serenely outward and stretching out his hand as if in blessing.

Salvator Mundi was only rediscovered in 2001 and can normally be seen at Rome’s Basilica of San Sebastiano Fuori le Mura.

The airport gained permission from the Italian Interior Ministry to display the piece for a limited time to commemorate Terminal 1’s grand reopening.

According to a statement by Aeroporti di Roma, the company that manages the Rome area airports, the display opened on April 12 and is part of the airport’s effort “to promote local and national art and culture among Italian and foreign passengers.”

According to The Art Newspaper, Bernini’s famous work will remain on display at the airport for approximately four weeks. 

Located in Fiumicino and servicing the Rome metropolitan area, the Leonardo da Vinci Airport is the busiest in Italy.

The terminal housing the display can accommodate 6 million passengers annually, according to Areoporti di Roma.

Now, all those travelers can catch a glimpse of Jesus and perhaps say a quick prayer on the way to catch their flight.

Considered by many the greatest sculptor of the Baroque period, Catholics may be most familiar with Bernini’s gorgeous, twisted columns and baldachin (canopy) that surround and hover over the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Some of Bernini’s other most famous religious works include The Ecstasy of St. Teresa, the Death of the Blessed Ludovica Albertoni, and the colonnade enclosing St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

More news related to this article

Pope Francis Praises Midwives, OB-GYNs Who Welcome Babies With ‘Humanity’

Pope Francis on Thursday encouraged midwives and OB-GYNs to carry out their mission not only with professional skill but also with “a great sense of humanity.”

Pope Francis sends Rosary to President-Elect Milei of Argentina

The Office of the President-Elect of Argentina confirmed on X that the country’s new president, Javier Milei, received a rosary from Pope Francis on Nov. 24.

Vatican News: Pope Francis’ Encounters, Religious Freedom, and Sexual Abuse in Focus

On Monday, July 24th, Pope Francis met with Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

‘Hope Never Disappoints’ is Holy Father’s new book for 2025 Jubilee Year

The author of a new book based on interviews with Pope Francis discussed the Holy Father’s views on Christian hope, migration, and the Israel-Hamas conflict

What Artificial Intelligence means for the Catholic Church. Interview with Father Larrey

In this interview, Father Philip Larrey, the Dean of the Philosophy Department at the Pontifical Lateran University in

Cardinal Christophe Pierre Receives New Honor in Rome

Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States and recently named cardinal, takes possession of the church of Saint Benedict outside Saint Paul's Gate in Rome.

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNVatican.com