NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- A thorough restoration of the tomb of St. Peter, underneath the altar of St. Peter's basilica, is scheduled to be completed by Christmas of 1999. The project has been sponsored by Italy's national electrical utility, ENEL (Ente Nazionale d'Energia Elettrica).

      At a press conference in Rome today, Cardinal Virgilio Noe, whose responsibilities include the buildings of the Holy See, and Franco Tatto of ENEL explained the process of restoration. The goal of the project is to allow better access to the tomb of St. Peter, while at the same time preserving and beautifying the site.

      The first step in the process is to arrest the natural process of decay in the surrounding rock, and installing climate controls to slow that process in the future. The tomb will be illuminated, but the lighting must also be carefully planned to avoid causing any damage.