Pope Leo’s address to museum directors will make you think

Pope Leo XIV met with directors from the Bizot Group at the Vatican on October 10 to discuss the concept of materiality. The group, which includes leaders from institutions such as the Louvre, the British Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Prado, the Rijksmuseum, and the Hermitage, held the meeting to explore how matter relates to art and creation.

During the meeting, the Pope spoke from a theological perspective rather than as an art historian. He described art as a way for people to use their ingenuity to transform matter, which he defined as the creation in which humans live as beings made in the image and likeness of God. He characterized matter not merely as a material for production, but as a gift placed under human care.

The group's president, Dr. Taco Dibbits, was among the attendees.