The Vatican has launched a new educational Minecraft game, allowing players to explore and restore St. Peter's Basilica.
Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, Peter Is Here recreates Michelangelo’s dome, Bernini’s colonnade, and the tomb of the Apostle Peter in Minecraft's 3D cube world.
Designed for students aged 8-18, the game enables players to restore key parts of the basilica while learning about its art and history. By completing restoration tasks, they earn golden papal key tokens and gain insight into the basilica’s rich heritage.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti explained at a press conference that the goal of the project is “to bring people closer to Saint Peter’s Basilica through artificial intelligence and also to foster a spiritual experience”.
He added: “Those who play with St. Peter’s Basilica in Minecraft Education have the opportunity to try their hand at creative architectural interventions, discover the history of the basilica, restore it, and explore its hidden meanings.”
Allison Matthews, head of Minecraft Education, also present at the press conference, noted that the immersive experience helps students grasp complex topics in a 3D environment.
The game is available through the Minecraft Education lesson library and can be downloaded by users with an Office 365 or Microsoft 365 Education account.
The initiative is part of a wider collaboration between the Vatican, Microsoft, and Iconem to digitally preserve the basilica’s cultural heritage.
