While women have worked for the Fabbrica di San Pietro — the department that oversees maintenance, restoration, and repairs of the Vatican's papal basilica — before, it is the first time women are officially part of the "Sanpietrini" maintenance staff, according to Vatican News.

Two teams of Sanpietrini "work simultaneously daily to fulfil their principal tasks of reception, stewardship, cleaning, and maintenance of the Vatican basilica and its facilities respectively," the basilica's website says.

The two Italian women, aged 21 and 26, studied masonry and decorative and ornamental plastering at the basilica's School of Fine Arts and Traditional Trades.

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Electronic devices and documents have been taken from the offices of the Fabbrica following a report by the Holy See's auditor, in what could look like an investigation into financial irregularities.

However, the Holy See says the move was taken following a new transparency law issued by the Pope on the use of outside contractors by the Church's central administration - an important step forward in Francis's ongoing reforms of Vatican finances.

There is no suggestion Cardinal Angelo Comastri, who leads the Basilica's management, is under investigation.

The Vatican says retired nuncio Bishop Mario Giordana has been given the task of "updating the statutes, clarifying the administration and reorganizing the administrative and technical offices" to comply with new Vatican norms on procurement and contracting.

Giordana will carry out "this delicate task" together with a commission", a Vatican statement says.

The Fabbrica is the office which responsible for running and maintaining St Peter's, which is the symbolic heart of the Catholic Church.

St Peter's Basilica is home to the tomb of St Peter, who was the first pope. Along with being the principal church of the Successor of St Peter, the Basilica contains a vast array of renaissance artistic treasures.

Source

• Catholic News Agency
• AP
• The Tablet
• Image: Italy Magazine