Ultimately, a seamless restoration was chosen, with the goal of making it impossible for observers to know that Toth had even touched Michelangelo’s masterpiece. 12. The restoration took 10 months.

The restoration is part of preparations for ... 35 million visitors who will come to Rome in 2025. At St. Peter's, Michelangelo's Pietà is now protected behind bulletproof glass.

The newest statue, "American Pietà," created by Oakland sculptor Peter Marcalus, was inspired by Michelangelo Buonarotti's "La Madonna della Pietà" as well as the shooting of Gabriel Santana in ...