A rare look at the Vatican Library's treasures

We are about to visit a place few people have seen firsthand: The Vatican library, a vast collection of historic treasures beyond compare. It was founded over five centuries ago when Europe was coming out of the Dark Ages, a period of so-called humanism when the Catholic Church was open to new ideas in philosophy, science and the human spirit.

It's the pope's library, but it contains much more than just church documents. As we reported in April, there are manuscripts going back nearly 2,000 years on music and math, warfare and exploration, and even cookbooks and love letters.

The library is closed to the public, a place for scholars only. But the Vatican agreed to let "60 Minutes" and correspondent Morley Safer in to see some of the priceless artifacts of our collective past.

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John Paul II honored at vigil on eve of beatification

Rome— Thousands of young people flooded an ancient Roman field Saturday for an all-night prayer vigil honoring Pope John Paul II on the eve of his beatification, remembering his teachings, travels and his own suffering.

Pilgrims waving flags from Poland, Spain Germany and Brazil filled the Circus Maximus, which twinkled with the light of thousands of candles as choirs from John Paul's native Poland, the Philippines and Italy sang. They listened as a French nun who suffered from Parkinson's disease recounted how she was cured after praying to John Paul, who also battled the same disease.

The Vatican has decreed that Sister Marie Simone-Pierre's inexplicable healing was the miracle needed to beatify John Paul, a process that will reach its culmination Sunday during a Mass in St. Peter's Square celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI.


The vigil was to last all night, a so-called "white night" of prayer to be continued in eight churches kept open in the city center before barricades around St. Peter's Square open to pilgrims at 5:30 a.m. (0330GMT) for the 10 a.m. (0800GMT) beatification Mass.

Waiting for a prayer vigil at Circo Massimo

Sister Marie Simon-Pierre talks about her miracle

Vigil at the Circus Maximus

Vigil at the Circus Maximus

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The Best Cathedrals - Italy

St. Peter's Basilica (Rome): Its roots began with the first Christian emperor, Constantine, in A.D. 324. By 1400, the Roman basilica was in danger of collapsing, prompting the Renaissance popes to commission plans for the largest, most impressive, most jaw-dropping cathedral the world had ever seen. Amid the rich decor of gilt, marble, and mosaics are countless artworks, including Michelangelo's Pietà. Other sights here are a small museum of Vatican treasures and the eerie underground grottoes containing the tombs of former popes, including the most recently interred, John Paul II. An elevator ride (or a rigorous climb) up the tower to Michelangelo's glorious dome provides panoramic views of Rome.

The Duomo of Florence: Begun in the late 1200s and consecrated 140 years later, the pink, green, and white marble Duomo was a symbol of Florence's prestige and wealth. It's loaded with world-class art and is one of Italy's largest and most distinctive religious buildings. A view of its red-tiled dome, erected over a 14-year period in what was at the time a radical new design by Brunelleschi, is worth the trip to Florence. Other elements of the Duomo are Giotto's campanile (bell tower) and the octagonal baptistery (a Romanesque building with bronze doors).

The Duomo of Siena: Begun in 1196, this cathedral is one of the most beautiful and ambitious Gothic churches in Italy, with extravagant zebra-striped bands of marble. Masterpieces here include a priceless pavement of masterful mosaics, an octagonal pulpit carved by master sculptor Nicola Pisano, and the lavishly frescoed Piccolomini Library.

Basilica di San Francesco (Assisi): St. Francis, protector of small animals and birds, was long dead when construction began on this double-tiered showcase of the Franciscan brotherhood. Giotto's celebrated frescoes reached a new kind of figurative realism in Italian art around 1300, long before the masters of the Renaissance carried the technique even further. Consecrated in 1253, the cathedral is one of the highlights of Umbria and the site of many pilgrimages. It took a direct hit from the 1997 earthquakes but has miraculously made a recovery.

The Duomo of Orvieto: A well-designed transition between the Romanesque and Gothic styles, this cathedral was begun in 1290 and completed in 1600. It sheltered an Italian pope (Clement VII) when French soldiers sacked Rome in 1527. Part of the building's mystery derives from Orvieto's role as an Etruscan stronghold long before Italy's recorded history. The cathedral is known for its great fresco cycles by Fra Angelico and Luca Signorelli.

St. Mark's Basilica (Venice): Surely the most exotic and Eastern of the Western world's churches, the onion-domed and mosaic-covered San Marco took much of its inspiration from Constantinople. Somewhere inside the mysterious candlelit cavern of the 1,000-year-old church, which began as the private chapel of the doges, are the remains of St. Mark, patron saint of Venice's ancient maritime republic.

The Duomo of Milan: It took 5 centuries to build this magnificent and ornate Gothic cathedral, the third-largest church in the world. It's marked by 135 marble spires, a stunning triangular facade, and thousands of statues flanking the massive but airy, almost fanciful exterior.

For more in-depth information, see the Frommer’s Guide to Italy at Frommers.com

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Best Dining Bets - Italy

La Terrazza (Rome; tel. 06-478121): You get two winning elements here: some of the finest cuisine in Rome and a panoramic view toward Michelangelo's dome of St. Peter's. The constantly changing menu takes advantage of the best seasonal ingredients, and the chef constantly dazzles discerning palates with new taste sensations. This prestigious restaurant is located in the Hotel Eden.

Cibrèo (Florence; tel. 055-2341100): Fabio Picchi, the chef-owner, serves the most innovative cuisine in Florence. Cibrèo consists of a restaurant, a less formal trattoria, and a cafe/bar across the street. The impossibly old-fashioned small kitchen doesn't have a grill and doesn't turn out pastas; it specializes in sophisticated creations based on age-old Tuscan recipes with a twist. Don't miss the flourless chocolate cake.

Antica Trattoria Botteganova (outside Siena; tel. 0577-284230, www.anticatrattoriabotteganova.it): On the road leading north of Siena to Chianti, just outside the city walls, lies this outstanding restaurant. Chef Michele Sorrentino gives standard Italian dishes a modern touch and uses the best seasonal ingredients from the Tuscan countryside. Try his tortelli stuffed with pecorino cheese and served with a hot parmigiano cheese sauce and truffled cream, and sample a regional vintage from the fine wine cellar.

San Domenico (Imola, outside Bologna; tel. 0542-29000): Foodies from all over Europe flock to the town of Imola to visit this, our pick as Italy's best restaurant. Convenient to Bologna and Ravenna, San Domenico features a cuisine that seems to feature modern French influences. But owner Gian Luigi Morini claims that his heavenly offerings are nothing more than adaptations of festive regional dishes -- they're just lighter, more subtle, and served in manageable portions. Enjoy a vintage from one of Italy's finest wine cellars to accompany your memorable meal here. Simply marvelous!

Antico Martini (Venice; tel. 041-5224121): Founded in 1720 as a spot to enjoy the new trend of drinking coffee, this restaurant is one of the best in Venice. Replete with paneled walls and glittering chandeliers, the Martini specializes in Venetian cuisine.

Ristorante Il Desco (Verona; tel. 045-595358): Set in a former palazzo, this restaurant is the best in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. Its culinary repertoire emphasizes a nuova cucina (nouvelle cuisine) that makes use of the freshest ingredients. The wine selections are excellent.

Restaurant Joia (Milan; tel. 02-29522124): The vegetarian dishes here are among the best in Italy, but Swiss chef Pietro Leemann also excels in seafood. This is a hot dining ticket in Italy's city of fashion.

La Cantinella (Naples; tel. 081-7648684): The only Michelin-starred restaurant in Naples, La Cantinella serves some of the best and most refined seafood in Campania. Opening onto the bay of Santa Lucia, this will be the highlight of your culinary tour of the area. Time-tested Neapolitan classics are served, along with an array of more imaginative dishes. Grilled fish can be prepared as you like it -- and chances are, you'll like it a lot.

For more in-depth information, see the Frommer’s Guide to Italy at Frommers.com

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Italy immigrant names son Silvio Berlusconi

A Ghanaian immigrant to Italy has named his son after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, despite his government's tough policy on immigration.

Anthony Boahene told an Italian newspaper: "I like the way Berlusconi talks, the way he moves."

Asked about Mr Berlusconi's tough stance on immigration, he said: "It's fine, laws need to be observed."

Mr Boahene said he would like his son Silvio to study politics and to become president of Ghana or Italy.

Mr Boahene, 36, came to Italy in 2002. His son was born in 2005 in Accra and has only recently joined his father in the northern Italian city of Modena.

There has been no word from Mr Berlusconi the elder about his young namesake, but his opponents are likely to take the view that one Silvio Berlusconi in Italy is more than enough, says the BBC's Duncan Kennedy in Rome.

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