The Vatican opens an exhibition on preserving knowledge
The exhibition titled “Catastrophe and Wonder” will explore threats to knowledge preservation such as fire, water, light, insects and humans.
V. M. Traverso
V.M. Traverso is a freelance writer based in Italy focused on history, art, travel and religion. Her work has appeared on Atlas Obscura, BBC, National Geographic and Smithsonian Magazine.
Latest articles by V. M. Traverso
Zurbarán: the “Spanish Caravaggio” goes on world tour
Spanish Baroque painter Francisco de Zurbarán is know for poignant portraits of monks, nuns, and martyrs.
Rediscovering the legacy of Plautilla Bricci
A new restoration project aims to revive a rare example of a female-commissioned and female-executed painting of the birth of the Virgin Mary.
4 Renaissance masterpieces stolen from painter’s hometown
The thieves broke into Messina Regional Museum on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption, where locals gather for a heartfelt parade around town.
Mother Cabrini’s birthplace and Pope Leo’s visit on Saturday
The first U.S. citizen to ever be canonized was born in this small town near Milan. The first U.S. citizen to ever be Successor of Peter will be the first pope to visit her basilica.
10 Stunningly colorful Catholic churches around the world
From Europe to the Americas, passing through Vietnam and the Seychelles, countless Catholic churches around the world display brilliantly colorful facades.
There’s a hidden gem in Venice linked to the Capuchins
The recently restored "Gardens of the Redeemer" are inextricably linked to the history of the Capuchin order and their pharmacy services ... and perfect for a spring visit.
The nun-mapped trail connecting the shrines of St. Benedict
The newly rediscovered Cammino della Santissima Trinità offers a quiet alternative to the most popular pilgrimage routes in Europe.
The tiny Italian Alpine lake that celebrates St. Julius on January 31
Every year on January 31, pilgrims make their way on ferries or private boats to a tiny Alpine islet to celebrate the man who established Christianity in the area.
Sicily’s nun-invented pumpkin cookies: Muccunetti
“Muccunetti” were created by Benedictine cloistered nuns of the Convent of Saint Michael, in Western Sicily. They are a chewy cookie with a soft interior and a hard almond-based crust.
The unique tradition of Sicily’s “Song of the Cart Driver”
Traditional musical performances by cart drivers add a unique touch to patron saint festivities in Sicilian towns.
The Catholic roots of Umbria’s olive-picking tradition
Most olive groves in the central Italian region were revived by monks. A visit in November may grant you a chance to witness the ancient art of olive-picking
Giotto’s Santa Maria Novella crucifix changed art history
It was the first time that people saw Christ depicted in art as a real human on the cross.
How medieval Easter hymns were preserved on 11th-century scrolls
These 1,000-year-old medieval manuscripts are a testament to a unique expression of Catholic devotion in southern Italy.
The bone-shaped cookies baked for All Saints Day
Spain’s “Huesos del Santo,” or “bones of the Saint,” are a beloved marzipan treat baked to remember those who have passed
Historians identify a new painting by Artemisia Gentileschi
In “Samaritan Woman at The Well,” Gentileschi offers us one of the most heartfelt representations of the first evangelist.
The Roman cookies St. Francis loved and wanted before dying
During his time in Rome, St. Francis met a local benefactor who introduced him to “mostaccioli,” a speciality during grape season. Here's the recipe.
Discovering Milan’s secret “Winter Chapel”
Just beneath Milan Cathedral's main altar lies a 15th-century masterpiece.
Altarpiece saved by Italian priests during WWII returns home
The 16th-century masterpiece “Madonna on the Throne with Child and Saints” returns to its home in the Slovenian city of Pirano after being preserved inside Padua’s Basilica of St. Anthony for 80 years.
Decoding Fra’Angelico’s wondrous “Silver Cabinet”
Its panel paintings are considered some of the most narratively-rich works of art of the Renaissance.
