On the occasion of the Great Jubilee of 2000, the Fabrica di San Pietro commissioned the artist to create a statue of Saint Marcellin Champagnat, which would be placed within a niche in the left transept of the south façade of Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. The niche that now houses the Costa Rican artist's sculpture was designed between 1544 and 1564 by the Renaissance sculptor and architect Michelangelo Buonarroti. The statue was unveiled on September 20, 2000, in the presence of Pope John Paul II. Deredia thus became the first non-European artist to be present at the fulcrum of Christendom.