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Episode 1

Inside the Vatican Series 1
Episode 1 of 2

Filmed over a historic year, with unprecedented access, we see Pope Francis and those who work in the Vatican prepare for the most sacred celebration in the Church calendar, Easter

Filmed over an historic year inside the Vatican, this episode follows the build up to the most sacred celebration in the Church calendar, Easter - when Pope Francis takes centre stage in the world’s biggest theatre of faith.

No film crew has ever had such access to the inner workings of the Vatican. From Pope Francis himself to his head of security, the nuns who cater for the homeless, the choristers of the Sistine Chapel, the papal gardener, the chief of the diplomatic corps and many others, we get a unique and exclusive insight into the lives of those who live and work in this independent city state.

Every Wednesday, Pope Francis invites pilgrims to meet him at his general audience. Marking his fifth year in office as the Vatican’s first Latin American pontiff, Pope Francis believes the Church should be close to the people. For centuries, popes have lived in the Apostolic Palace, but Pope Francis has moved to a modest apartment in the Casa Santa Marta.

Every January, diplomats from all nations gather in the Sistine Chapel for the Pope’s annual State of the World Address. The Vatican is one of the oldest diplomatic institutions in the world, and the head of their equivalent of the Foreign Office is Archbishop Paul Gallagher, originally from Liverpool.

At the heart of the Vatican is St Peter’s Basilica. As Easter draws near, the Sanpietrini – skilled craftsmen responsible for the upkeep of St Peter’s – are hard at work. For them, this is not a routine job but a tradition that has been passed down from the original craftsmen who built St Peter’s, the most important Church in the Catholic world. The Vatican gardeners also have a key role to play, preparing the olive branches to decorate St Peter’s Square and palm leaves to adorn the columns of the basilica.

Meanwhile, the Vatican Police Force makes stringent security checks in anticipation of the arrival of tens of thousands of pilgrims.

After the festivities of Palm Sunday, the early part of the Easter week is given over to quiet contemplation inside the Vatican. This is when Pope Francis follows a very personal Easter ritual: he visits inmates of the Regina Coeli prison to wash their feet. This Easter one of the chosen twelve is a Muslim prisoner, Ali.

59 minutes

Last on

Thu 14 Nov 2019 01:25
BBC Two

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Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:02

    ABBA

    Summer Night City

  • 00:07

    Badem

    Sensiz Olmadi

  • 00:07

    Bernstein

    Morgenstern

  • 00:50

    Leonard Cohen

    You Want It Darker

  • 00:59

    Charles Bradley & Menahan Street Band

    (The World) Is Going Up In Flames

Credits

Director Silvia Sacco
Producer Silvia Sacco
Executive Producer Nicolas Kent
Executive Producer Sam Hobkinson
Production Company Oxford Film and Television

Broadcasts

  • Fri 20 Sep 2019 21:00
    BBC Two
  • Wed 25 Sep 2019 00:40
    BBC Two except Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland HD
  • Thu 14 Nov 2019 01:25
    BBC Two