Picchiani & Barlacchi created the medal given to the Pope in occasion of his visit in the Tuscan county seat
Today, November the 10th, occurred the visit of Pope Francis in the city of Florence, which organised this event with huge enthusiasm. It didn’t just attracted many devotees from all the parts of Italy, it also occurred 29 years after the visit of another Pope, that John Paul II which arrived in Tuscany’s heart when the Berlin Wall still used to divide the German capital.
This exceptionally important event, which occurred in the occasion of the National Ecclesiastic Conference entitled “New Humanism in Jesus Christ”, wasn’t only honoured by the presence of the Pope, but there was also his partecipation to the assizes and the celebration of the Mass at the Artemio Franchi Stadium.
In occasion of this important event Picchiani & Barlacchi realised a special coin for the Florence Opera del Duomo, of which the only silver sample was given to the Pope. Those who attended the Conference were presented with a similar version in bronze, with the historical Opera coat of arms, the “Agnus Dei” holding up the crossed flag, and the picture of the papal coat of arms, which shows on the top the mitre with the petrines keys and in the middle the emblem of the Company of Jesus, a radiant sun with the Christological trinity. On the bottom, the eight-pointed star symbolises Virgin Mary and the spikenard flower recalls Saint Joseph.
It was a great honour for us to realise such an important opera.