At the end of 2014, the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in the ROC and the National Palace Museum began to discuss the possibility of having an exhibition of artifacts from the Vatican in Taiwan.
The initiative was historically unprecedented. A curatorial plan for a show was agreed upon before the actual number of works to be exhibited had even been determined. The ease with which the two institutions worked together was due in large part to the excellent experiences that Taiwan and the Vatican had previously had with cultural exchange.
Monsignor Ivan Santus, second secretary of the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in the ROC, who worked hard liaising between the Vatican and the National Palace Museum, was a key figure in realizing the exhibition.
The Vatican offers full assistance
A great lover of Asian culture, Msgr. Santus has been stationed in Taiwan for four years. A regular visitor to NPM exhibitions, he believes the best way to understand a city of any nation is to visit its museums and churches. The NPM, which holds the world’s largest collection of Chinese dynastic art, is a pilgrimage site for culturally minded tourists from around the world. Providing items from the Holy See to be exhibited at the NPM would represent an outstanding opportunity for East–West cultural exchange.
To be sure, the curatorial process presented difficulties, for Santus himself has entered the Vatican Sacristy just once, in 2004, when he was given a look at only a small part of its holdings. Familiar with the history of the Catholic Church, Santus knows a lot about the ceremonial objects used by popes through the centuries, but he has been able to see some of them with his own eyes mostly thanks to this exhibition. He has found the opportunity to view these holy objects deeply moving.
“Thanks to curating this exhibition and reevaluating these objects’ historical significance, I’ve come to new understandings myself,” explains Santus. “During the planning process we compiled information about these artifacts and had it translated so as to provide greater understanding to the general public. It did indeed take a lot of effort.” Santus says among the items that moved him most were the cultural relics demonstrating the connections between the Vatican and Asian culture. Essentially, these artifacts show how the Catholic Church has played a meaningful role in fostering East–West cultural exchange. Santus sees much beauty in those connections.
Accessibility via Chinese
During the the curatorial process, Reverend Charles Pan, executive secretary of the Commission of Sacred Liturgy of the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference, helped to organize the exhibited artifacts into six themes connected to liturgical theology, letting exhibition goers gain a deeper understanding of the history of the Catholic Church and the background and purpose of artifacts used in the Eucharist.
Rev. Pan explains, “Many liturgical experts from other countries have already formed travel groups preparing to visit the exhibition in Taiwan. Because there is such rich historical content behind the exhibit, we hope that Catholics and others will dive into this material so as to attain deeper understanding. A lot of energy was spent translating material into Chinese in a simple and understandable way.” Pan explains that his group provided training to NPM guides before the exhibition’s opening and then provided additional training to more than 100 docents, all with the aim of allowing exhibition goers to deepen their knowledge.
A major event in the museum world
Santus is grateful for the transnational cooperation. He says that everyone worked together harmoniously, and that in addition to NPM staff, ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs staff also provided their full assistance.
Matthew Lee, ROC ambassador to the Holy See, who holds great expectations for the exhibition, explains that the ministry assisted in communicating with the relevant agencies and in obtaining visas. Lee also expressed his gratitude for China Airlines’ sponsorship of the shipping.
“The fact that arranging this exhibition went so smoothly,” says Ambassador Lee, “demonstrates the importance that the Holy See places on its relationship with the Republic of China.” Lee emphasizes that preparing for such a large-scale exhibition usually requires a year or more, but the timeframe was limited in this instance. Under the circumstances, the nearly flawless execution was no easy feat.
Full of solemn and sacred religious significance, the ceremonial vestments and regalia that popes have worn, as well as their crosses, chalices and patens, demonstrate the highest levels of artistry in their historical eras. The successful partnership between the Holy See and the NPM represents one of the biggest global museum events of the year, as well as the splendid fruit of cultural exchange between the ROC and the Vatican.
Msgr. Ivan Santus, second secretary of the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in the ROC, worked tirelessly on planning the exhibition. He has thanked the ROC’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Palace Museum for their help in making it possible.
The exhibition is one of the year’s biggest museum events. The photo includes Matthew Lee, ROC ambassador to the Vatican (front, third from left); NPM director Feng Ming-chu (front, fourth from right); Msgr. Paul Russell, chargé d’affaires of the Apostolic Nunciature in the ROC (front, fourth from left); and Msgr. Ivan Santus, second secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature (front, second from right). (courtesy of the NPM)
Matthew Lee (second from right), the ROC’s ambassador to the Holy See, visited the Vatican Sacristy along with priests Fr. Nestor (first from left) and Fr. Paolo Benedik (second from left). (courtesy of the ROC Embassy to the Holy See)
