More than 250 papal artifacts come to Minnesota’s Mall of America

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is almost 200 years old, and to celebrate, the Rev. Richard Kunst of the Diocese of Duluth has curated “Vatican Unveiled,” the largest collection of papal artifacts outside of Rome.

The exhibition opens Jan. 10 at the Mall of America and includes 250-300 items from previous popes, saints and the Vatican.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis contacted Kunst about having an exhibition as part of the celebration.

“We’re doing it in response to their invitation,” said Kunst, via phone Monday from Rome, where he was giving a tour to Catholics from Duluth.

As the curator of the Diocese of Duluth’s collection, Kunst said the mall was a great fit, citing the “basic mall traffic” and “not being a normal venue.”

It’s more common for a show like this to open at a convention center or Catholic college.

“For something like this, you don’t think of a mall,” he said.

There’s also a document signed in 1177 by Pope Alexander II, a baseball signed by Pope Francis, Pope Pius XII’s radio microphone, a Swiss Guard uniform from Pope Pius X’s era, the second-oldest papal signature outside of the Vatican and more.

The exhibition also celebrates the election of the Catholic church’s first North American pope, Pope Leo. The Chicago-raised pontiff studied in the Twin Cities as a seminarian in the early 1980s.

While in Rome, Kunst told Pope Leo about the exhibition.

“I had a very short interaction with him, but the whole interaction was about the exhibit, and he showed interest,” Kunst said.

When: Jan. 10-Feb. 1

Where: Enter through the Mall of America’s main entrance. Exhibition is on the second floor across from J.W. Marriott, 2141 Lindau Lane, Bloomington.

Cost: $25 presale tickets before Jan. 10, $30 after.