March 30, 2007 — The Vatican is expected to announce its decision to keep some fragments of the Parthenon housed in the Vatican Museums, dashing Greek hopes that the artifacts would be returned to their homeland, according to the Italian press.
Greece officially requested the fragments last December, in a renewed attempt to resolve the longstanding dispute.
The country's top religious leader Christodoulos,
the Orthodox archbishop of
Greece, asked for the sculpture fragments to be
returned at a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI.
According to press reports at the time, the Pope
appeared a little perplexed by the request, but said he would consider it.
The horsemen, deities and other creatures — carved by Phidias in the 5th century B.C. —
are scattered throughout several
European museums, including the Louvre in Paris.
Greece has been demanding the return of 17
figures and 56 panels, which have come to be known as the Parthenon marbles, since the
country's independence from Turkey in 1829.
But most of the marbles are kept in London's
British Museum. Greece contends they were stolen
in 1801 by Lord Elgin, a British ambassador to the
Ottoman Empire.
Britain claims Lord Elgin
had permission from the ruling Turkish authorities to take them.
The British also contend the marbles have
received better treatment at the British Museum,
where they are safe from the polluted Athens air,
which has damaged other Greek artifacts.
