The arrival of the ‘Boat of Peter’ at the Vatican Museums is an important event, both for the Catholic Church and for world culture, as the boat is a symbol of the Church’s mission to lead believers to salvation and, from a historical perspective, the boat is a testimony to the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.

On 15 March, according to a statement from the Vatican Museums, Pope Francis received as a gift the boat, handmade by the Aponte family, shipwrights from the Sorrento peninsula, in collaboration with the International Diplomatic Institute. The boat, an exact replica of a 1st-century boat recovered from the Sea of Galilee, is a piece of great historical and religious value.

The installation work

The boat is 8.2 meters long, 2.3 meters wide, and 1.7 meters high.
It weighs 4,500 kilos.
It is made of oak and pine wood.
It was transported to the Vatican Museums in a special truck.
A 40-tonne crane was needed to install it.

The complex handling and installation operations took place on Sunday behind closed doors, thanks to sophisticated acrobatic construction work and the support of specialised companies, with the joint contribution of staff from the Department of Museums and Cultural Heritage and the Department of Infrastructures and Services (Vatican City State Government). The installation of the boat is an important event, because it will allow visitors from all over the world to learn about the history and significance of this unique piece.