Trending Now - Exploring the Vatican's Masterful Mosaic Craftsmanship

WHO:

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - Paolo di Buono, director of the Vatican's mosaic workshop

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - Simona Turriziani, head of the archive of St. Peter's

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - Michelangelo, artist who signed a letter dated February 18th, 1562

WHAT:

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - St. Peter's Basilica is described as the biggest and most sacred church in the world.

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Vatican's Studio del Mosaico has been using tools and techniques that date back centuries, even millennia.

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - The earliest records of St. Peter's mosaics date back to 1580.

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - A blueprint for a mosaic of St. Peter contains a gradient of turquoise color to be used.

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - The technique called "the filament technique" is used to create new colors by melting glassy colors.

WHERE:

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - The Cupola Clementina, located 200 feet above the pews in St. Peter's Basilica

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - Studio del Mosaico, Vatican

WHEN:

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - The letter from Michelangelo is dated February 18th, 1562.

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - The records of St. Peter's mosaics date back to 1580.

WHY:

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - Mosaics are preferred over paintings because they are more durable and can withstand the test of time.

HOW:

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - Mosaicists use a sharp hammer called a martellina to cut pieces into tiny fragments.

[09:24 AM EDT] - CBS News - Mosaics are created using millions of tiny colored tiles that are melted and fashioned into art.

(UPDATED April 5, 2026 15:06 UTC)

St. Peter's Basilica, known as the biggest and most sacred church in the world, is home to the Vatican's Studio del Mosaico, where artisans have been using ancient techniques to create stunning mosaics since records began in 1580. The studio employs a method called "the filament technique" to produce new colors by melting glassy materials, and artisans utilize a sharp hammer known as a martellina to cut pieces into tiny fragments, resulting in intricate designs. A recent blueprint for a new mosaic features a gradient of turquoise, showcasing the enduring beauty and durability of mosaics compared to traditional paintings.