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- Thus, while the principal ecclesiastical seat of the Pope as Bishop of Rome (the Basilica of St. John Lateran) is located outside of its walls, Vatican City is the governmental capital of the Catholic Church.
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The central government of the Catholic Church is housed in Vatican City. The Vatican is also referred to as the Holy See, which can designate either the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) or the entire ...
- History
- Government
- Economy
- Demographics
- Foreign Relations
- Culture
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Ancient origins
Even before the arrival of Christianity, it is supposed that this originally uninhabited part of Rome (the ager vaticanus) had long been considered sacred, or at least not available for habitation. The area was also the site of worship to the Phrygian goddess Cybele and her consort Attis during Roman times. Agrippina the Elder (14 B.C.E.-33 C.E.) drained the hill and environs and built her gardens there in the early first century C.E. Emperor Caligula (37-41 C.E.) started construction of a ci...
Earliest church
In 326 C.E., the first church, the Constantinian Basilica, was built over the site that is believed to be the tomb of Saint Peter, buried in a common cemetery on the spot. From then on the area started to become more populated, but mostly by common dwelling houses. A palace was constructed near the site of the basilica as early as the fifth century during the pontificate of Pope Symmachus(reigned 498-514). Popes in their secular role gradually came to govern neighboring regions and, through t...
Papal holdings unresolved
In 1870, the Pope's holdings were left in an uncertain situation when Rome itself was annexed by the Piedmont-led forces which had united the rest of Italy. Between 1861 and 1929 the status of the Pope was referred to as the "Roman Question." The popes were undisturbed in their Vatican palace, and given certain recognition by the Law of Guarantees, including the right to send and receive ambassadors. But they did not recognize the Italian king's right to rule in Rome, and they refused to leav...
Political system
For historical reasons, the government of Vatican City has a unique structure. As noted, the principal figures are the Secretary of State, the President of the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State, and the Governor of Vatican City. These, like all other officials, are appointed by the Pope and can be dismissed by him at any time. During a papal vacancy, the Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, former Secretary of State, and former President of the Pontifical Commission form a com...
Church hierarchy
Prior to reforms made by Pope Paul VI(reigned 1963-1978), a large number of nobles existed within the government of the Vatican. A noble class still exists today and continues to form part of the papal court. The size of the papal court, however, had been reduced. All cardinals, however, continue to have the royal rank of "prince of the blood." The rank's royal character is a vestige of the temporal power of the popes who ruled the Papal States for more than a thousand years and, prior to the...
Administration
The Governor of Vatican City, sometimes known as the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City, has duties similar to those of a mayoror city executive, concentrating on material questions concerning the state's territory, including local security, but excluding external relations. Legislative power is vested in the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, led by a president. Members are cardinals appointed by the pope for terms of five years. The judicial functions are han...
The unique economy of Vatican City is supported financially by contributions (part of which is known as Peter's Pence) from Catholicsthroughout the world, the sale of postage stamps and tourist mementos, fees for admission to museums, and the sale of publications. The Vatican City issues its own coins. It has used the euro as its currency since Jan...
Population and languages
Almost all of Vatican City's approximately 500 citizens either live inside the Vatican's walls or serve in the Vatican's diplomatic corps in embassies (called "nunciatures"; a papal ambassador is a "nuncio") around the world. The Vatican citizenry consists almost entirely of two groups: clergy working as officials of the Vatican as a state or of the Catholic Church; and the Swiss Guard. Most of the 3,000 lay workers who comprise the majority of the Vatican work force reside outside the Vatica...
Citizenship
Citizenship of Vatican City is conferred upon some of those who have been appointed to work in certain capacities at the Vatican, and it is usually revoked upon the termination of their employment. During the period of employment citizenship may also be extended to a Vatican citizen's spouse. Terms of citizenship are defined in the Lateran Treaty, and laws concerning the creation of the Vatican state in 1929 sought to restrict the number of people who could be granted Vatican citizenship. The...
Providing a territorial identity for the Holy See, Vatican City State is a recognized national territory under international law. However, it is the Holy See that is the legal body that conducts diplomatic relations for the Vatican City in addition to the Holy See's usual diplomacy, entering into international agreements and both receiving and send...
The Vatican City is itself of great cultural significance. Buildings such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are home to some of the most famous art in the world, which includes works by artists such as Botticelli, Bernini, and Michelangelo. The Vatican Library and the collections of the Vatican Museums are of the highest historical, sc...
Fox, Martha Capwell. Modern Nations of the World—The Vatican City. Lucent Books, 2005. ISBN 978-1590187333Lo Bello, Nino. The Incredible Book of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities. Grammercy, 1997. ISBN 0764801716Marchant, Piers. How to Be Pope: What to Do and Where to Go Once You're in the Vatican. Chronicle Books, 2005. ISBN 0811852210Roncalli, Francesco. Vatican City. Treasures Inc., 1996. ISBN 978-8886921077All links retrieved May 7, 2020. 1. The Holy See—The Vatican's Official Website 2. Vatican Museums 3. Vatican City 4. Vatican influence on the United Nations, the World Health Organization and other international agencies.
As of October 5, 2021, the Catholic Church in its entirety comprises 3,171 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 652 archdioceses and 2,248 dioceses, as well as apostolic vicariates, apostolic exarchates, apostolic administrations, apostolic prefectures, military ordinariates, personal ordinariates, personal prelatures, territorial prelatures, territorial abbacies and missions sui juris ...
The Catholic Church teaches that it is the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church founded by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission, [14] [15] [note 1] that its bishops are the successors of Christ's apostles, and that the pope is the successor to Saint Peter, upon whom primacy was conferred by Jesus Christ. [18]
- 1.378 billion (2021)
Apr 4, 2024 · Here are a few of the salient details on some basic aspects of the Catholic Church between 2021 and 2022. Church statistics: Catholics and Bishops The number of baptized Catholics has increased globally, rising from 1.376 billion in 2021 to 1.390 billion in 2022, with a relative increase of 1.0%.
The politics of Vatican City take place in a framework of a theocratic absolute elective monarchy, in which the Pope, religiously speaking, the leader of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome, exercises ex officio supreme legislative, executive, and judicial power over the Vatican City as it is being governed by the Holy See, a rare case of ...
Apr 7, 2024 · The Holy See (Vatican City State) Also known as: Holy See (Vatican City State) (English), Heiliger Stuhl (Staat der Vatikanstadt) (Deutsch), Santa Sede (Estado de la Ciudad del Vaticano) (español), le Saint-Siège (l’État de la Cité du Vatican) (français), Santa Sede (Stato della Città del Vaticano) (Italiano), Stolica Święta (Państwo ...
