Flying a drone into the dome of the Padua Baptistery, Aleteia captures the masterpiece of Giusto de’ Menabuoi as never seen before
Beauty will save the world. Perhaps you already knew that. Today you can see it with your own eyes. The Padua Baptistery communicates this incredible power through a forgotten masterpiece by one of the greatest artists of the late 14th century, a true forerunner of the Renaissance: Giusto de’ Menabuoi. Aleteia has used the latest drone airship technology to get closer to his frescoes, where we discovered, with awestruck delight, the soulful sense of wonder conveyed by this visual account of the history of salvation.
But how can one best appreciate such beauty? Fix your gaze on the gaze of Jesus, the Christ Pantocrator, surrounded by a host of angels and saints. We find ourselves standing before the Last Judgment. Let yourself be captivated by that gaze, which communicates the power of God, who judges us on the good we have done and the evil we have committed. Do not be afraid.
Continue to look into those eyes and you will see love. The merciful love of God for us. Let yourself explore the other frescos in the baptistery, and then return to his gaze. This is the great gift that these previously unfilmed images can offer us: to watch is to understand why beauty will save the world. But that’s not all: you will also understand why Pope Francis chose these images to illustrate a small gospel book that he has given to so many people. You will experience in a special way the heart of the Year of Mercy. You will experience “the sweet and gratifying touch of God’s forgiveness, his presence beside us and his closeness especially in the moments of greatest need.” (Pope Francis, Wednesday General Audience, December 9, 2015).
Go the behind the scenes of the Padua Baptistery documentary — the drones, the airships, and the HD images used to almost touch Salvation History:
Don’t miss the trailer. Be ready to have your heart and soul deeply moved, through two minutes of images and stunning music. The breathtaking experience of the Padua Cathedral frescoes in two minutes:
Aleteia invites you to take a virtual tour to discover the Padua Cathedral, the sacred treasure chest for which Giusto de’ Menabuoi conceived his masterpiece: the History of Salvation:
http://virtualtour.aleteia.org/battistero-padova/
