As the Vatican's own media report, two female artisans from Padua and Reggio Calabria have recently joined the previously all-male team of "Sanpietrini".
They are responsible for the maintenance and repair of the world's largest church in the Vatican Cathedral.
Father Enzo Fortunato, spokesman for St Peter's Basilica, explained that women had previously been given preference in the Vatican's mosaic workshop, which is also part of the cathedral building workshop.
The newly recruited employees both first studied art history and then completed the course for decorators, plasterers and bricklayers at the School of Decorative Arts of the Cathedral Workshop.
During the 120-year construction phase of St Peter's Basilica (1506 - 1626), women were also already employed at the Bauhütte.
In most cases, they were widows or orphans of men who had died during the construction of St Peter's Basilica.