Vatican Unveiled - US Archdiocese to Exhibit at the Mall of America the Largest Collection of Papal Artifacts Outside of Rome!
In celebration of the 175th anniversary of the Catholic Church in Minnesota, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is hosting Vatican Unveiled, an exhibit of the largest collection of papal artifacts outside of Rome. Father Richard Kunst, a priest of the Diocese of Duluth, serves as curator of the exhibit. Father Kunst has a deep knowledge of the items and a passion for telling their stories.
While they wait and hope Pope Leo XIV will return to the Twin Cities – where he studied as a seminarian in the early 1980s – we know that 250-300 items from previous popes, saints and others are coming here this winter.
This unique, historical collection will be hosted daily at Mall of America from January 10 – February 1, 2026. Some of the items will include a document with the second oldest papal signature outside of the Vatican and a Swiss Guard uniform from the time of Pius X so rare that the Swiss Guard asked to borrow it for their own exhibit.
The 19,000 square foot exhibit is open and welcoming to all, as people will experience interesting historical perspectives, artistic items with old-world craftsmanship, and papal artifacts that show the humanity behind the leaders.
About Father Richard Kunst:
Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Father Richard Kunst was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Duluth in 1998. Prior to ordination, he worked in the political realm as a staff member for U.S. Senator Rod Grams of Minnesota. As a priest, Father Kunst juggles parish assignments as well as diocesan duties, including columnist for The Northern Cross and oversight of initial phases of the sainthood cause of Monsignor Joseph Buh. Father Kunst has a deep love for Church history as can be seen in the collection of papal and other artifacts he has curated.
my interest in autographs. I began researching celebrity addresses in
all fields –sports, music, politics, movies, and more – and wrote
letters to these various stars. After spending hundreds of dollars in
postage, I amassed a fairly large collection.
This unique, historical collection will be hosted daily at Mall of America from January 10 – February 1, 2026. Some of the items will include a document with the second oldest papal signature outside of the Vatican and a Swiss Guard uniform from the time of Pius X so rare that the Swiss Guard asked to borrow it for their own exhibit.
The 19,000 square foot exhibit is open and welcoming to all, as people will experience interesting historical perspectives, artistic items with old-world craftsmanship, and papal artifacts that show the humanity behind the leaders.
About Father Richard Kunst:
Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Father Richard Kunst was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Duluth in 1998. Prior to ordination, he worked in the political realm as a staff member for U.S. Senator Rod Grams of Minnesota. As a priest, Father Kunst juggles parish assignments as well as diocesan duties, including columnist for The Northern Cross and oversight of initial phases of the sainthood cause of Monsignor Joseph Buh. Father Kunst has a deep love for Church history as can be seen in the collection of papal and other artifacts he has curated.
About the Vatican Unveiled Curator, Father Richard Kunst
How did you start this collection of rare papal artifacts?
As a high school senior, I had an assignment in my government class to write to a politician. I chose President Jimmy Carter. He sent me an autographed photo of himself and his wife and that startedmy interest in autographs. I began researching celebrity addresses in
all fields –sports, music, politics, movies, and more – and wrote
letters to these various stars. After spending hundreds of dollars in
postage, I amassed a fairly large collection.
My interest then turned toward historical autographs, particularly of past presidents. I started
getting subscriptions to various autograph dealers and, though I was a student, I was able to buy a
nice autograph from time to time. At one point, I had autographs of 16 presidents, dating back to
President Martin Van Buren. In 1995, I received an autograph dealer catalog that offered three
different papal autographs for auction. It was the first time I had ever seen a signature of a Pope
made available – in a way I was shocked that they even existed. I had to get a loan from my sister,
but in the end, I won two of the three papal items – autographs of Popes John XXIII and Paul VI,
both as cardinals.
This is what started my bug for papal and religious autographs. Not long after, I was able to add
signatures of Pius VII and Pius IX. Eventually I lost all interest in modern day celebrities, as well as
presidential autographs. I sold nearly the entire collection. With that money, I was able to purchase
a number of other fine autographs with religious themes.
After being ordained to the priesthood, I finally had a steady income to put towards the collection.
At the same time, the World Wide Web was a phenomenal source of leads for rare items. I made
contact with several manuscript dealers throughout Europe and was able to access great items at
very good prices.
I continue my search for old, rare, and unique papal items, from documents to papal clothing. The
collection is always growing.
I am often asked what I intend to do with this collection. 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 as they celebrate their 175th
anniversary, and I welcome everyone to come see some interesting artifacts at Mall of America®
January 10 – February 1, 2026.
Father Richard Kunst, Curator, Vatican Unveiled
Source: https://www.archspm.org/vatican-unveiled-coming-to-mall-of-america/
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