Visitors marvel at ‘Vatican Unveiled’ at Mall of America

A bone fragment from the year 189. A colorful early 20th century Swiss Guard uniform from the Vatican Army. Four lead conclave seals from the election of Pope John Paul II.

These are just a few of the 250-plus papal artifacts on view at “Vatican Unveiled” at the Mall of America. The exhibition celebrates the 175^th anniversary of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, with objects collected by the Rev. Richard Kunst of the Diocese of Duluth. With subzero temperatures outside, inside the glossy mall visitors took in historical papal artifacts.

“I think the people most interested might be Catholics, but it’s not necessarily just a Catholic thing,” Kunst said. “As far as Christianity is concerned, we had a shared history for 75 percent of the time. The separation of different denominations only happened in the last 500 years.”

About 70 people lined up Jan. 14 as the exhibition opened.

It begins with an extensive history of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan missionary from Belgium, was the first Catholic priest to reach Minnesota.

Dana Watters of St. Michael mused about conclave seals used during the conclave for Pope John Paul II in 1978.

“It’s just really old, it’s interesting,” said Watters, 60. “When we were in Rome at the Vatican, they talked about the past and what happens [in the conclave] … but to see all of it is really cool.”

“I feel like there is a lot of beauty and mystery within the church, and I wanted to see what they were bringing here today that connected to that,” George said.

George was intrigued by a 1963 voting ballot from the Second Vatican Council.

“I didn’t go to Catholic high school, so I feel like I lost a lot of that learning about the faith,” Ross said. “So I just wanted to come back.”

Some papal objects reference political and historical moments.

“The church, the Vatican, play a huge role throughout different events and politics and the international world,” Kunst said.

Ronald Carlson and James Sokola, both 81, have been friends since the seventh grade. Growing up, they were altar boys at St. Patrick’s of St. Paul. The two say they argue a lot but also find time to go to baseball games.

“He’s ultra conservative and I’m meh,” said Carlson, shrugging.

Sokola recalled being “flabbergasted” when Pope John Paul II was elected in 1978. Sokola’s grandparents were from Poland, and John Paul II was the first Polish pope.

“There were a bunch of these nasty Polish jokes at the time, and it was just uplifting all of a sudden,” Sokola said. “He was so brilliant, he could speak so many languages ― and that kind of ended a lot of those Polish jokes.”

The new pope, Pope Leo XIV, isn’t likely to visit the exhibition. However, at the end of the exhibit, visitors get the next best thing — a Pope Leo selfie station.

Hours: 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

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: $30