A SACRED staircase which Jesus Christ is said to have climbed before being sentenced to crucifixion by Pontius Pilate has been restored to its original state after 300 years.

The 28 steps of the Scala Santa, or Holy Staircase, have been covered in wood since 1723 to protect the marble from wear and tear, until yesterday when they were opened to the public.

The marble staircase is believed to have been brought from Jerusalem to Rome in the fourth century AD by Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, who allocated Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire.

A long restoration process has removed the wooden planks installed by order of pope Innocent XIII, as the beautiful marble got worn down by millions of pilgrims.

According to tradition they had to climb the staircase on their hands and knees to earn indulgences, leaving the steps worn to a depth of 15cm in places.

UNCOVERED AFTER 300 YEARS

The steps have now been cleaned, along with the intricate 16th century frescoes on the walls and ceiling, returning them to their original beauty.

The exposed steps have been opened to the public for 60 days, covering the Easter period, ending on June 9, when they will be covered up again.

A charitable organisation called the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums funded the restoration, carried out by experts from Vatican Museums.

Donors included British-Australian businessman and philanthropist, Sir Michael Hintze, and his wife, Lady Dorothy Hintze.

If you close your eyes for a moment, you can imagine yourself back in the medieval era, the last time that people scaled these steps on their knees

At the opening, the staircase was blessed by cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Vicar General of the diocese of Rome.

Crowds of Catholic faithfuls then got on their hands and knees to climb their way up the 28 stairs, located close to one of Rome's great basilicas, St John in Lateran.

Hundreds of notes and offerings were found in the cracks of the wooden boards, including prayers and calls for divine intervention.

Paolo Violini, the coordinator of the restoration, said: “We found them step by step as we removed the floorboards – many, many little notes and coins, left as offerings.

“The steps are made of many different kinds of marble and cleaning them revealed their beauty.”

Three ancient crosses were also discovered which are believed to mark the place where drops of Christ's blood fell as he climbed the steps.

Guido Cornini, a curator from the museums, said: “If you close your eyes for a moment, you can imagine yourself back in the medieval era, the last time that people scaled these steps on their knees."

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