Vatican City
Sacred icons and the Vatican: a school that has already arrived
Icons by Lia Galdiolo, teacher and grandmother of Concetta Basile, were present at audiences of Pope John Paul II and are kept in the Vatican. Concetta continues that school, painting icons that can become a gift for those who serve the Church.
The icon at the heart of the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church has always recognised the value of the icon: the Second Council of Nicaea (787) defined its veneration, and the collections of the Vatican Museums include icons of the Byzantine and Russian traditions. In recent decades the icon has again become a language shared by East and West, and a sign of ecumenical dialogue.
A gift for those who serve the Church
A hand-painted icon is a fitting gift for a priest or bishop for an ordination or anniversary, for a religious community, a Church office or a distinguished guest visiting Rome. You can commission the recipient's patron saint, the Pantocrator with a chosen verse, or the Mother of God.
The first conversation can take place online or in person. We ship worldwide: the icon is delivered with protective packaging and, on request, insured shipping, together with its certificate of authenticity on real parchment with photographs of every stage and its explanatory booklet in Italian or English. Shipping conditions are checked case by case at the time of commission.
Christ Pantocrator
Round panel, Greek inscription around the border.
The Holy Face
Composition with humanity's journey towards eternity.
Gift ideas in the Vatican and nearby
Between Borgo, Prati and Castel Gandolfo live and work priests, religious and lay people serving the Holy See. For an ordination anniversary, an appointment, a transfer or a farewell to a colleague returning home, a hand-painted icon speaks the language of its recipient, wherever in the world they go.
Priesthood anniversary
Twenty-five or fifty years of ministry.
Appointment or new post
The patron saint or Christ Pantocrator.
Farewell
An icon to accompany those returning to their country.
Frequently asked questions
Are Concetta Basile's icons in the Vatican?
Works by her teacher, Lia Galdiolo, are kept in the Vatican and were present at audiences of Pope John Paul II. Concetta is her granddaughter and direct pupil.