Pope Francis has allowed the Sistine Chapel to be rented out to luxury car-maker Porsche, in the first time the sacred space has been used for a corporate function.
Tomorrow 40 elite guests will be treated to a concert beneath Michelangelo's Last Judgement and a gala dinner in the midst of the Vatican Museums, surrounded by masterpieces by world famous artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael.
It is the first time the chapel has been rented out to a private company, although church concerts have been held in the Sistine Chapel before.
The Vatican has not disclosed how much it will earn from the event, but the five-day tour of Rome arranged by Porsche costs up to €5,000 per head, or €200,000 (£160,000) in total.
Mgr Paolo Nicolini, the director of the Vatican Museums, said firms such as Porsche would make a donation to support the Pope's chosen charities.
Although the Pope has complained about the "tyranny" of big businesses, he has said that he wants to use the treasures of the Vatican to raise money for those in need.
He said: "The initiative is aimed at big companies which, through the payment of a fee, can contribute to charitable activities." He did not say if any other companies had booked so far.
A choir from the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome will tomorrow perform Rossini's Petite messe solennelle.
The Porsche Travel Club said: "It's a one-off event and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
But some officials are likely to view turning the chapel into a rental space with concern, not least since singer Justin Bieber was criticised last week for kicking a ball around the Vatican during a £16,000 private tour.
The Vatican earns £70 million annually by charging tourists to see the chapel. Yesterday, it said it would cap the number at six million a year to protect the frescoes from damage such as sweat, carbon dioxide and dust brought in from outside.
The number of visitors to the chapel can reach 20,000 a day in summer, with up to 2,000 people inside at any one time.
The Vatican has installed a new lighting system that will cut heat that can damage the frescoes by more than half, and a new climate control system that will filter the air in the chapel.
Photo: Tomorrow's audience, brought together by Porsche, will enjoy the ultimate room with a view. Above: CNS/Reuters
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