Pope Francis gave the Vatican Museums the order to return three marble sculptures of the Parthenon to Greece. The three headpieces, which depict a horse, a youngster, and a bearded man, have been in the custody of the Vatican for two centuries. According to the Vatican, the return of these hats is a gift from Pope Francis to Archbishop Ieronymos II, the leader of the Greek Orthodox Church. This demonstrates Pope Francis’ genuine commitment to travel the ecumenical road of truth.
The donation was described as a spiritually inspired gesture between two churches, not a return, in a statement from the Vatican. This gift probably seeks to prevent creating a precedent that would have an effect on other precious works in its possession.
Pope Francis and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Ieronymos met in Athens in 2021. The pope admitted at the discussion that the Catholic Church had erred in the past when dealing with Greek Orthodox groups. This prompted Francis to make another ecumenical gesture in 2019, when he presented a relic of Saint Peter to the Constantinople Greek Orthodox Patriarch.
There is something particularly remarkable about the marbles that were a part of the ornamental frieze that graced the 2,500-year-old Parthenon. They are incredibly old, and the Acropolis Museum has been guarding them since 2009. When the Vatican gave them to Greece, the Ministry of Culture and Sports was quite appreciative.
The Parthenon Marbles, which were taken by Lord Elgin in 1801, will once again be the focus of the British Museum’s attention starting in December 2022. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Museum Chair Lord Osborne met in private to talk about the marbles.
It is conceivable for the two parties to reach an agreement, according to Mitsotakis. If an agreement is reached, the marbles could be returned to Greece as early as 2023.