Paintings Gallery of the Vatican Museums

But much more does he intend to thunder against those who use the pretext of pardons to contrive the injury of holy love and truth. To think the papal pardons so great that they could absolve a man even if he had committed an impossible sin and violated the Mother of God -- this is madness. We say, on the contrary, that the papal pardons are not able to remove the very least of venial sins, so far as its guilt is concerned. It is said that even St. Peter, if he were now Pope, could not bestow greater graces; this is blasphemy against St. Peter and against the pope. We say, on the contrary, that even the present pope, and any pope at all, has greater graces at his disposal; to wit, the Gospel, powers, gifts of healing, etc., as it is written in I. Corinthians xii. To say that the cross, emblazoned with the papal arms, which is set up [by the preachers of indulgences], is of equal worth with the Cross of Christ, is blasphemy. The bishops, curates and theologians who allow such talk to be spread among the people, will have an account to render. 81. This unbridled preaching of pardons makes it no easy matter, even for learned men, to rescue the reverence due to the pope from slander, or even from the shrewd questionings of the laity. To wit: -- "Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial." Again: -- "Why are mortuary and anniversary masses for the dead continued, and why does he not return or permit the withdrawal of the endowments founded on their behalf, since it is wrong to pray for...

Sulfur mustard (HD) is a thick liquid at ambient temperature, but becomes a solid at 58 °F. It is heavier than water as a liquid and heavier than air as a vapor. It does not occur naturally in the environment It is often called mustard gas, but sulfur mustard is not likely to change into a gas immediately if it is released at ordinary temperatures. As a pure liquid, it is colorless and odorless, but when mixed with other chemicals, it looks brown and has a garlic-like smell. Sulfur mustard has been used in chemical warfare and was made in large amounts during World Wars I and II. It was reportedly used in the Iran-Iraq war in 1980-1988. It is not presently used in the United States, except for research purposes, and the U.S. Department of Defense must destroy all remaining stocks of sulfur mustard by 2004. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) Mustard gas is a clear amber colored oily liquid with a faint odor of mustard/garlic. It is not readily combustible. Its vapors are heavier than air, are very toxic, and can be absorbed through the skin. The effects from exposure to the material include blindness which may be delayed. Prolonged exposure of the container to fire or intense heat may cause it to violently rupture and rocket. Mustard gas is also known as dichlorodiethyl sulfide. CAMEO Chemicals Bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide is an ethyl sulfide that is diethyl sulfide in which a hydrogen from each of the terminal methyl groups is replaced by a chlorine. It is a powerful vesicant regulated under the Chemical Weapons Convention. It has a role as an alkylating agent, a vesicant and a carcinogenic agent. It is an organochlorine compound and an...

There are magnificent frescoes, majestic sculptures, all in sumptuous rooms. I really enjoyed my visit, but ...

The lighting of many masterpieces has been completely neglected. See for example "The Entombment of the Christ", by Caravaggio. If one goes directly in front of this painting, simply to catch the best possible view of it, then the reflections of the lamps are so strong and so bad that they will blind your eyes, and consequently you can only see a small part of the work.

The only way to escape these parasitic reflections is to stand aside, as shown by my two photos. I think that this is a bit of a shame, but it can easily be fixed, as I have seen in many other museums, not least in the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan.

I would gladly come back here, once the art illumination has been redone by real museum lightning professionals. Meanwhile, I sadly must say that for some of the art pieces exhibited here, you will be better of with what can already be found on...