In 1964, the "Pietà" was lent by the Vatican to the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair to be installed in the Vatican pavilion. Francis Cardinal Spellman, who had requested the statue from Pope John XXIII, appointed Edward M. Kinney, Director of Purchasing and Shipping of Catholic Relief Services - USCC, to head up the Vatican Transport Teams. The statue was shipped in a wooden crate thick with an base, secured to the deck of the liner "Cristoforo Colombo"; in case of an accident, the crate contained cushioning so thick that it would float in water, and had an emergency locator beacon as well as a marker buoy attached.