By Vatican News
A new illumination of the 140 Saint Statues on the Colonnade of St Peter’s Square, the installation of 14 “Water Houses” to provide free drinking water to tourists and pilgrims at key points in Rome, and an app to facilitate access to the city’s water sources. These are some of the initiatives that will be launched on the occasion of the upcoming Jubilee of Hope, by Rome’s utility group Acea, responsible for energy, water, and environmental services in the Municipality.
The projects were presented at a press conference in the Vatican on Monday by Acea’s top executives along with Monsignor Rino Fisichella, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and coordinator of the Jubilee 2025.
New led illumination for the Colonnade
One of the most important projects carried out was executed by Areti, the Group’s company responsible for public and artistic lighting in the Municipality of Rome. They renovated and enhanced the lighting of the statues on the colonnade of St Peter’s Square, the so-called “Council of Saints”.
Thanks to this light architecture project, the 140 travertine sculptures that stand atop the columns and pillars of the most famous peristyle in the Christian world will be illuminated by 280 next-generation LED projectors, which emit energy-efficient light with low environmental impact. Archbishop Fisichella explained, this is not merely an aesthetic operation, as each statue follows a precise sequence that needs to be highlighted. It represents the materialization of a true spiritual dialogue, he said.
The company has also transformed and enhanced the public LED lighting of St Peter’s Square, Via della Conciliazione, the avenue leading to to the square, and the chandeliers on the Bernini’s colonnade.
14 additional “Water Houses” for the pilgrims
Complementing these visual enhancements, Acea has installed 14 additional “Water Houses” at strategic locations in Rome, offering free, accessible drinking water to the influx pilgrims and tourists expected during the Jubilee Years, along with the existing 2,500 nasoni ( the typicl Roman public drinking fountains).
Two of these facilities are located near the Vatican Museums and at the entrance to the Leonine City, and will be blessed by Pope Francis on Wednesday, Dec 18. This is a symbolic gesture of great significance because, on the threshold of the Jubilee Year, it brings together the many meanings associated with water and renews them: a necessity for life, a liturgical act, and a work of Mercy.
New “Acquea” App
The new “Acquea” App has also been launched. This app geolocates over 150,000 water points on a map, providing information on the quality of the supplied water in three languages (Italian, English, and Spanish).
Finally, Acea will support the Jubilee of Adolescents, which will take place from April 25 to 27, 2025 and is expected to attract more than 100,000 young people aged 12 to 17. ACEA will promote water conservation awareness through an educational water project in schools.
Archbishop Fisichella praised the initiatives, expressing gratitude for Acea’s support in promoting sustainability. – Vatican News
