Rome, Italy, Apr 11, 2019 / 02:01 am
The bare, white marble of Rome's 'Scala Sancta,' which are believed to be the stairs trod by Christ on the day of his trial and death, are exposed and visible to pilgrims for the first time in almost 300 years.
The stairs, encased in wood since the 1700s, will be uncovered for veneration from April 11 to June 9, the feast of Pentecost. During this time, pilgrims may ascend the marble steps on their knees.
"We thought this opportunity was important," Paolo Violini, the head of the restoration of the staircase, told EWTN. He said the idea to open the Holy Stairs to the public came when they removed the wood to restore it and discovered the beautiful white stairs beneath.
"No one had ever thought to be able to climb the marble stairs. It was simply restoration work, maintenance work of the wood covering them," Violini said.