20-YEAR RESTORATION OF SISTINE CHAPEL IS COMPLETED

VATICAN CITY, DEC 6, 1999 (VIS) - A communique released today by the Vatican Museums announces that, with the cleaning of the frescoes on the side walls of the Sistine chapel, which depict the life of Moses and Christ, as well as adjacent works, the restoration of the Sistine chapel, which began in 1979, has been completed.

This final phase lasted five years, was executed by the Vatican Museums' Painting Restoration Laboratory and was made possible by a contribution from the group, Patrons of the Vatican Museums.

A press conference on the restoration process will take place in the Sistine Chapel at 4 p.m. on Friday, December 10, for accredited journalists. Those participating in the conference include: Cardinal Edmund Szoka, president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State; Francesco Buranelli, regent director general of the Pontifical Monuments, Museums and Galleries; Fr. Allen Duston, international coordinator for relations with the Patrons of the Vatican Museums, and Arnold Nesselrath, Nazzareno Gabrielli and Maurizio De Luca of the Vatican Museums.

OP;SISTINE CHAPEL RESTORATION; SZOKA VIS 19991206 (170);...;