The Vatican has received a ransom note for a rare letter written by Renaissance artist Michelangelo that was stolen from its archives nearly 20 years ago.

Not only was the extortion scheme news to many Vatican watchers, but so was the theft, which was not made public until Sunday, when officials announced the ransom demand.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi said a former employee of a Vatican archive asked for a ransom of about $108,000 to return the letter, one of two that went missing in 1997. It was not clear if both letters were being offered.

Lombardi said a cardinal in charge of St. Peter’s Basilica had been contacted recently by a person who offered to get the documents back for what Lombardi called “a certain price.”

Lombardi said the cardinal “naturally refused because these are stolen documents,” and turned the matter over to local authorities.

The spokesman said a nun who worked in the Vatican archives informed officials back in 1997 that the documents had gone missing. He did not say why the Vatican had not disclosed the theft before.

According to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero, the letter is a rare example of Michelangelo’s handwriting, and contains his signature.

Michelangelo, who lived from 1475 to 1564, is best known for painting the ceiling of Rome’s Sistine Chapel.

With Post wire services