Vatican's Parthenon Sculptures Returned to Greece

The Vatican announced in December 2022 that Pope Francis is returning three pieces of the Parthenon that have been in the Vatican's collections for over a century. The deal was finalized in March 2023, and the works arrived in Athens this week.

The Vatican called the return a "donation" from Pope Francis to Ieronymos II, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, "as a concrete sign of his sincere desire to follow in the ecumenical path of truth." Ieronymous then gifted the sculptures to the Acropolis Museum, where they are now on display.

"It has taken place at a difficult time for our country, and it will hopefully provide some sense of pride and happiness. I hope this initiative is followed by others," Father Emmanuel Papamikroulis, Ieronymous's envoy to the Vatican, told the Associated Press. "This initiative does help heal wounds of the past and it demonstrates that when Christian leaders work together, they can resolve issues in a practical way."

Per the Associated Press, "The Vatican statement suggested the Holy See wanted to make clear that it was not a bilateral decision to return the marbles from the Vatican state to Greece, but rather a religiously inspired donation. The statement may have been worded in order not to create a precedent that could affect other priceless holdings in the Vatican Museums."

The move makes the Vatican one of the newest Western states to return its Parthenon fragments to Greece—the UK's British Museum remains a holdout, though recent news has suggested that the museum is in talks with the Greek government. "We are not going to give up on this, no matter how long it takes," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitstotakis said in September regarding the return of the Parthenon sculptures.

However, following reports, the British Museum denied they were going to return the Elgin Marbles, saying in a statement, "we’re not going to dismantle our great collection as it tells a unique story of our common humanity. But we are seeking new positive, long-term partnerships with countries and communities around the world, and that of course includes Greece."

The Vatican's three fragments—which include the head of a horse, the head of a young boy, and a bearded male head—are now on display at the Acropolis Museum in Athens; a ceremony took place on March 24. "My personal heartfelt wish is that this initiative is mimicked by others. Pope Francis showed that this is possible and significant," Archbishop Ieronymos said at the ceremony.

Greece's culture minister Lina Mendoni said, "The ceremony today... similar to the gesture by the government of Sicily and the Republic of Italy a few months ago, shows the road that we could follow, that everyone could follow, in order for the unity of the Parthenon to be restored."

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