Things like this are considered wealth the church is hoarding. Reality is that they are preserving historical documents that genuine scholars and historians can still access for real research and it would be criminal to disband such a rare collection. It also costs a fortune to ,keep and maintain and we should be grateful it's being looked after.

So much of the classical world wasn't available to people like you and me because church locked away the knowledge. Don't feggin thank them for that

OK, isn't there prophecy that when this tomb is found it heralds the fall of the church and the beginning of end times? Can't remember if it's Malachi or Nostradamus but I do remember being intrigued by it.

Built on top of the Roman stuff. To show, as the catholic curch so often did, that they were now in charge, top dog.

Wonder how many poor people could be fed, clothed, sheltered, and given medical treatment if they need it, for free, and even provided with such basics on a regular basis until they get back on their feet if they’re able, with the proceeds of the sale of this stuff that the obscenely wealthy Vatican is hoarding.

I don't usually like Van Gogh but yhis us rather nice. But the Michaelangelo pieta is fabulous.

What's a querub?

The Cistine chapel is breathtaking. But you're hurried through these days and even back in 2000 when I visited.

Still translations. The old testament was written Hebrew & Aramaic. For Americans - the english versions came much later! The first complete translation of the entire Bible into English was Wycliffe’s Bible, released in the late 1300s, and translated from the latin text so 2nd hand anyway.

Are those the doors they only open for once in 50 years? Because I went through one so no sins of mine before 2000 count... should have sinned more

This is the third time this item has been on BP in the last 6 months and I believe that it turned out that the marble isn't anywhere near as expensive as they are claiming here.

Third repeat here: Wonder how many poor people could be fed, clothed, sheltered, and given medical treatment if they need it, for free, and even provided with such basics on a regular basis until they get back on their feet if they’re able, with the proceeds of the sale of this stuff that the obscenely wealthy Vatican is hoarding.

Everyone who dies at 60-70 is st Peter

Doubtful.

Fragments of *a* cross, I will easily believe. The Romans did a lot of that. But from one particular cross? No, sorry, that's ridiculous.