Vatican revives artisan academy in St. Peter's Basilica

The Vatican on Wednesday inaugurated an arts academy inside St. Peter's Basilica, reviving an age-old apprenticeship program that aided in the maintenance of Catholic art and artifacts.

The ceremony came as the first 20 students in the academy are half-way through what amounts to a six-month unpaid internship. They attend lectures, participate in hands-on workshops and learn various trades and technical skills under the guidance of the basilica’s famed "Sampietrini," the small army of workers who maintain the building.

The academy is free to the students and is open to high school graduates. Organizers said the current students, 12 men and eight women, hail from Italy, Peru, Germany and Belarus. Some are in a gap period between high school and college, some are already studying certain trades in college while others are unemployed or have part-time jobs, according to a statement. The initiative revives the 18th century Pontifical Art Studio, which trained craftspeople at night and on holidays for eventual employment as "Sampietrini."