Pope Francis Rents Out Sistine Chapel For Corporate Event

Pope Francis may believe that the current economic system is driving the world towards the “idolatry of money” but that won’t stop the Holy Father from getting some corporate dollars. The pope rented out the Sistine Chapel to Porsche for a private concert for 40 high paying tourists. The Catholic church did not reveal how much they would get from the event, but insists that the proceeds will go to the pope’s various charities.

The event is part of a 5 day tour around Rome arranged by the Porsche Travel Club that costs about €5,000 ($6,400) a person. According to the Porsche website, the concert sounds like a once in a lifetime event.

“A magnificent concert in the Sistine Chapel with its ceiling frescoes painted by Michelangelo. A gala dinner is then served in the midst of the exhibition – surrounded by masterpieces by world-famous artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael. A fitting conclusion to an eventful day packed full of unique experiences and unforgettable moments.”

Despite the for-profit trip, the Vatican is insisting that lending out the Sistine Chapel was a purely charitable act.

“The Sistine Chapel can never be rented because it is not a commercial place. Saturday will be the debut of ‘Art for Charity,’ an initiative to exclusively support the charitable projects of the pope. This initiative is organized directly by the Vatican Museums and is directed at big companies. With the payment of a ticket, they can contribute to financing charity projects.”

Instead of “renting,” Pope Francis is allowing the private concert in exchange for a donation to a charity of the pope’s choosing.

The concert will be performed by the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, which has origins tracing back to the 16th century.

Shortly after Pope Francis was elected in March he promised that the Catholic church would be a “poor Church for the poor.” As previously reported by The Inquisitr, he condemns the current economic system because it was nearing a collapse because of excessive greed. Nevertheless, the pope seems to be flirting with what appears to be an unprecedented commercial deal.

In addition, Vatican officials announced that they would be limiting the number of visitors that could enter the chapel to 6 million a year. The large amount of tourists that visit the Sistine Chapel is starting to put the iconic ceiling frescoes from Michelangelo at risk from human breath and sweat.

The Vatican has not said how they will limit guests or if Pope Francis would allow any more corporate concerts on famous church property in the future.

[Image Credit: Alex Proimos/Wikimedia Commons]