ARGENTINA: Catholic faithful converge on the Buenos Aires workshop of renowned silversmith Juan Carlos Pallarols to help chisel a new chalice for homegrown Pope Francis I

Record ID: 447404

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Catholic faithful converge on the Buenos Aires workshop of renowned silversmith Juan Carlos Pallarols to help chisel a new chalice for homegrown Pope Francis I
  • Date: 7th May 2013
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES. ARGENTINA (MAY 07, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE SILVERSMITH JUAN CARLOS PALLAROLS SHAPING A CHALICE FOR POPE FRANCIS WITH PUBLIC VARIOUS OF PUBLIC HELPING TO CHISEL CHALICE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GOLDSMITH, JUAN CARLOS PALLAROLS, SAYING: "40 years ago I discovered that if I share my work with people, my work is more sublime. For 40 years I have done batons, crowns, chalices for popes, this is the fourth chalice that I am doing. No, it's the fifth because I made two for Pope John Paul (II). I share it with the people because I think it adds an irreplaceable value and converts it to a true work of art." VARIOUS OF LOCAL BUSINESSMAN HELPING TO SHAPE POPE'S CHALICE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL BUSINESSMAN, PATRICIO LOPEZ, SAYING: "The truth is that it is an honour because he is an internationally famous artisan and a work dedicated to the pope, from a small chisel it is an event that has become a milestone." VARIOUS OF PALLAROLS WORKING WITH PUBLIC ON CHALICE
  • Embargoed: 22nd May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Arts,General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ZNASERP529XB6GAWKHC90T47
  • Story Text: Catholic pilgrims gathered at a small workshop in Buenos Aires on Tuesday (May 07) to lend a hand to Argentina's famed silversmith Juan Carlos Pallarols in creating a chalice that will be given to hometown hero, Pope Francis I.
    Pallarols sent out an invitation to thousands of faithful in the South American country to help him hammer away at the silver metal and turn bumps into ornate flowers for what will be the cup for the head of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.
    The in-demand silversmith had previously made the roses on Princess Diana's tomb and two chalices for Pope John Paul II during his three-decade reign over the Vatican.
    "40 years ago I discovered that if I share my work with people, my work is more sublime. For 40 years I have done batons, crowns, chalices for pops, this is the fourth chalice that I am doing. No it's the fifth because I made two for Pope John Paul (II). I share it with the people because I think it adds an irreplaceable value and converts it to a true work of art," said Pallarols.
    With Argentina in the grips of pope fever since Buenos-Aires-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio was named the first Latin American pontiff earlier this year, people from all walks of life have helped Pallarols shape Pope Francis' new chalice.
    Local business Patricio Lopez called his brief moment at chiseling the pontiff's chalice a milestone.
    "The truth is that it is an honour because he is an internationally famous artisan and a work dedicated to the pope, from a small chisel it is an event that has become a milestone," he said.
    Pope Francis chalice is said to be more austere than his predecessors and will feature an image of the Virgin of Lujan, the patron saint of Argentina.
    In Christian tradition, the pope's chalice represents the cup which Jesus is thought to have used at the last supper and was safeguarded by Saint Peter, the Vatican's first pope.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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