Vatican announces restoration of 400-year-old canopy in St Peter’s Basilica

Pope Francis presides over a mass in St Peter’s Basilica (AP)

The Vatican has unveiled plans for a year-long restoration of the monumental canopy over the main altar of St Peter’s Basilica.

The plan is to complete the work on Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s masterpiece, which will cost around 700,000 euros (£601,000), before 2025 which is a year of Jubilee in the Catholic church.