Come January, visitors to the Mall of America will be able to hop off the roller coaster at Nickelodeon Universe or finish that meal at Rainforest Cafe and head to the second floor to check out a collection of Vatican treasures.

In celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis announced on Tuesday that it will host Vatican Unveiled, billing it as the largest collection of papal and other artifacts outside of Rome.

The exhibit, featuring approximately 300 items, will be open daily from Jan. 10 through Feb. 1.

It started with Jimmy Carter

Rev. Richard Kunst, a priest of the Diocese of Duluth, is the curator of Vatican Unveiled, a collection that he began years ago after first going through a presidential phase.

The Rev. Richard Kunst (Courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis)

“As a high school senior, I had an assignment in my government class to write to a politician,” Kunst noted in a biographical news release. “I chose President Jimmy Carter. He sent me an autographed photo of himself and his wife and that started my interest in autographs.”

Kunst says he eventually lost interest in presidential and celebrity autographs, selling off most of his collection to purchase papal autographs and other religious artifacts, many of which will be featured in this 19,000-square foot exhibit. Highlights include a papal ring, a cassock and a Swiss Guard uniform from the time of Pope Pius X (1903-1914), so rare that the Guard reportedly asked to borrow it for its own exhibit.

“I am often asked what I intend to do with this collection,” he said in the news release. “It has always been and remains my intent to donate it to the Church where it may be enjoyed forever. In the meantime, I am happy to share my collection with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis …”

Popes were once kids with homework

The exhibit will feature a variety of items.

“It’s curated to have several points of interest,” says Molly Litecky, manager of the archdiocese’s Office of Project Leadership. “If you are a history buff, there’s interesting historical items that are related to different pieces of art, history and government, and how the Vatican and government intersect. If you have an artistic eye, there are interesting, beautiful items with old-world craftsmanship. And there’s several papal artifacts from different popes through the centuries and some are touching, they show their humanity like the homework on one of the popes when they were young and in grade school.”

An image of some of the artifacts from “Vatican Unveiled.” (Courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis)

Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who reportedly was inspired by the priest’s collection when some of it was previously on display in Duluth, announced the exhibit to the public via an announcement posted to YouTube.

“I’m inviting you to a very special celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis,” Hebda said in the short video. ” … it is a special exhibit of the largest collection of papal and other artifacts outside of Vatican City, the home of the Catholic church.”

Other press materials from the archdiocese note that the exhibit is also a celebration of the recent election of the first-ever pope from North America, Pope Leo XIV, who studied as a seminarian in the Twin Cities in 1980 as Bob Prevost of Chicago.

The archdiocese, which was first established on July 19,1850, noted in its announcement that it is still waiting and hoping for a local visit from Pope Leo.

Pre-sale waitlist

Starting Dec. 1 through Jan. 30, tickets and merchandise can be purchased at the Vatican Unveiled kiosk on the first floor of the Mall. However, a pre-sale waitlist is available now through early November; people on the list will be alerted when they can purchase pre-sale tickets. Sign up at archspm.org/vaticanunveiled/.

Ticket prices have not yet been set.

Situated near the Mall’s main entrance, by the JW Marriott and in close proximity to mobility scooter rentals, escalators and elevators, it is meant to be an exhibit that is accessible to individuals and groups.

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By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM, Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Dallin H. Oaks, a former Utah Supreme Court justice, was named Tuesday to lead The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its more than 17 million members worldwide.

Oaks’ selection as president of what is widely known as the Mormon church follows the recent death of his 101-year-old predecessor, Russell M. Nelson. His ascension is not a surprise; a longstanding church policy says the longest-tenured member of a top leadership body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes the next president. The tradition is meant to ensure a seamless transition and prevent internal or public lobbying.

As president, Oaks is considered a prophet and seer who will guide the church through divine revelation from God alongside two top counselors and members of the Quorum. He’ll set policy and oversee the church’s many business interests.

FILE – Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles speaks during a news conference at the Conference Center, Jan. 27, 2015, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, file)

The church’s leadership transition comes as many of its members have been shaken by a deadly attack on a Michigan congregation, and are grappling with the high-profile assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah, where the denomination is based.

At 93, Oaks will be one of the church’s oldest presidents. He will serve in the role until he dies. Tenures for past presidents have varied, with the longest reaching nearly 30 years and the shortest being just nine months.

Experts are doubtful Oaks will pivot sharply from Nelson’s approach to leadership because he was one of Nelson’s closest advisers. But experts say Oaks might shift from Nelson’s focus on the faith’s global footprint to domestic issues.

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In the first major difference from Nelson’s presidency, Oaks announced during the faith’s recent general conference that the church will slow the announcement of new temples.

He also emphasized the importance of family while acknowledging that not all families look the same. In a departure from his typical sermons, which often appeal more to reason than emotion, Oaks shared a story about the day his grandfather told him at age 7 that his father had died. He went on to describe the value of being raised by a single mother and others who stepped into parental roles for him and his siblings.

Oaks is known for his jurist sensibilities and traditionalist beliefs on marriage and religious freedom. He has been a driving force in the church against same-sex marriage and in upholding a teaching that homosexuality is a sin — a position that causes uneasiness among LGBTQ+ members and their allies.

He said in 2022 that social and legal pressure would not influence the church to change its posture on same-sex marriage and matters of gender identity.

Yet in recent years, Oaks has been part of some key church moves that suggest he might not make the topic a centerpiece of his administration, experts say. Oaks was Nelson’s closest adviser in 2019 when Nelson rescinded a policy that banned baptisms for children of gay parents and labeled same-sex couples as sinners eligible for expulsion.

Oaks has also been a strong advocate for civil public discourse.

Early on as an apostle, he was involved in a crackdown on far-right extremism that resulted in some excommunications. In 2020, he gave a speech about having faith in elections without resorting to radicalism or violence.

St. Paul and Minneapolis mayors, along with some suburban mayors, on Tuesday spelled out local firearm-related ordinances they want to put in place to reduce violence.

They called again on the state to repeal a preemption law that bars cities and counties from regulating firearms, ammunition or their components.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said his city and others plan to propose a set of policies on four topics, which he described as:

• “Ban the public possession of assault weapons.”

• “Ban … devices that turn regular guns into machine guns.”

• “Ban guns in libraries, and parks and rec centers, and sensitive civic spaces.”

• “Require every gun to have a serial number.”

“Those things have two things in common: One, … the vast majority of Minnesotans think that’s the bare minimum of what we ought to be doing on guns,” Carter said at a press conference at the Capitol in St. Paul. “And two, there are a number of leaders right here in this building, in our Legislature, who says that’s far too much.”

After the Aug. 27 shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, which killed two children and injured dozens more, Gov. Tim Walz said he would call a special session of the Legislature to address gun policy.

Walz walked back his calls for a special session last week. He said holding one would be a waste of time without an agreement on a framework ahead of time from Republicans. Initially, he had said he would hold a special session “one way or another.”

The governor said he plans on holding a series of townhalls on guns.

Carter said Tuesday: “We have asked, and we’re asking again, for our state to either act and set those things into law statewide, or remove the preemptions that prevent cities from being able to implement these laws.”

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House Public Safety Chair Rep. Paul Novotny, R-Elk River, said in September that the state firearm preemption law safeguards “Minnesotans from a confusing patchwork of local rules that could turn law-abiding citizens into criminals simply for crossing a city or county line.

“The Second Amendment does not change depending on your zip code, and every law-abiding Minnesotan deserves the same right to protect themselves and their family no matter what city or county they are currently in,” his statement continued. “Constitutional freedoms shall not be infringed by a county or city government, and I trust the courts would agree.”

Alex Derosier contributed to this report.

City Limits rounds up the latest housing and land use-related events, public hearings and affordable housing lotteries that are ending soon.

Homes along MacDonough Street in Brooklyn. (Adi Talwar/City Limits)

Welcome to City Limits’ NYC Housing Calendar, a weekly feature where we round up the latest housing and land use-related events and hearings, as well as upcoming affordable housing lotteries that are ending soon.

Know of an event we should include in next week’s calendar? Email us.

Upcoming Housing and Land Use-Related Events:

Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m.: Voices of the Waterfront will host a free zoom tutorial on how community members can submit testimony during the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for the Brooklyn Marine Terminal plan. More here.

Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 10 a.m.: The NYC Council’s Subcommittee on Landmarks, Public Sitings and Dispositions will meet regarding the land use application for 2149-2153 Pacific St. in the Bronx. More here.

Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 6 p.m.: Join Brooklyn Law School for a screening of the documentary “Slumlord Millionaire,” followed by a panel discussion on deed fraud. More here.

Thursday, Oct. 16 at 10 a.m.: The NYC Council’s Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises will meet regarding the following land use applications: Domino Site B, 58 Nixon Court Rezoning II, 464 Ovington Avenue Rezoning, 5502 Flatlands Avenue Rezoning, Station Plaza Jamaica City Map Changes, and Ovi’s Place  Sidewalk cafe. More here.

Thursday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m.: The NYC Council’s Committee on Women and Gender Equity will hold an oversight hearing on city data collection domestic and gender-based violence. More here.

Friday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 19: Open House New York Weekend, which celebrates the city’s architecture and public spaces, returns for the weekend with dozens of events and drop-in tours. Find the full schedule here.

Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.: The Brownstoners of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Inc. present its annual house tour ($40 for advanced tickets), kicking off at 9 a.m. with a free expert panel moderated by Wayne Devonish, executive director at the Bedford Central Community Development Corporation. More here.

Monday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m.: The City Planning Commission will meet. More here.

NYC Affordable Housing Lotteries Ending Soon: The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) are closing lotteries on the following subsidized buildings over the next week.

61 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, for households earning between $70,492 – $189,540 (last day to apply is 10/14)

1992 Arthur Avenue Apartments, Bronx, for households earning between $76,218 – $116,640 (last day to apply is 10/15)

408 Lefferts Avenue Apartments, Brooklyn, for households earning between $68,298 – $227,500 (last day to apply is 10/16)

205 Cabrini Boulevard Apartments, Manhattan, for households earning between $131,760 – $227,500 (last day to apply is 10/20)

 2183 3rd Avenue Apartments, Manhattan, for households earning between $58,629 – $105,000 (last day to apply is 10/20)

The post NYC Housing Calendar, Oct. 14-20 appeared first on City Limits.