POPE FRANCIS: The impressive Parthenon fragments that the Vatican is returning - See photos

Pope Francis will send back to Greece the three fragments of Parthenon Sculptures that the Vatican Museums have held, but which fragments exactly does this concern?

The Vatican termed the gesture a “donation” from the pope to His Beatitude Ieronymos II, the Orthodox Christian archbishop of Athens and all Greece, “as a concrete sign of his sincere desire to follow in the ecumenical path of truth.”

The Vatican thus becomes the latest Western state to return its fragments of the Parthenon marbles, leaving the British Museum among the holdouts, AP reported.

But the Vatican statement suggested the Holy See wanted to make clear that it was not a bilateral decision to return the marbles from the Vatican state to Greece, but rather a religiously inspired donation.

The statement may have been worded in order not to create a precedent that could affect other priceless holdings in the Vatican Museums.

The fragments:

The sculptures are remnants of a 160-meter-long (520-foot) frieze that ran around the outer walls of the Parthenon Temple on the Acropolis, dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom. Much was lost in a 17th-century bombardment, and about half the remaining works were removed in the early 19th century by a British diplomat, Lord Elgin.

The British Museum recently pledged not to dismantle its collection, following a report that the institution’s chairman had held secret talks with Greece’s prime minister over the return of the sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles.

The Parthenon was built between 447-432 B.C. and is considered the crowning work of classical architecture. The frieze depicted a procession in honor of Athena. Some small bits of it — and other Parthenon sculptures — are in other European museums.

The UK recently pledged not to dismantle the British Museum collection, following a report that the institution’s chairman had held secret talks with Greece’s prime minister over the return of the sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles.

British officials claim that such a move would spark a wave of demands for the return of other artifacts held in Britain.

Appearing recently before the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan stated her opposition to their return to Athens.

“Where does that end?,” asked Donelan, as she highlighted how the law currently “does not allow” historical objects to leave the UK apart from in certain circumstances.

It had emerged that George Osborne, the former chancellor who is now chairman of the British Museum, has been holding talks with Greece’s prime minister over the possible return of the Parthenon Marbles.

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