Holy See (Vatican City)

Overview

The seat of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church is the smallest state in the world. Its economy is unusual because it is predominantly run through international contributions, museum admissions and the sale of a few items.

It is the museums that make visits longer than might be expected in such a small area. The Vatican museum houses the Etruscan and Roman collections and the Sistine Chapel. There is a great deal to see, but there are large crowds. There are super views of the city from the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica and the Basilica itself. The visitor might wish to stroll in the gardens of the Piazza St. Pietro or the Museum of Modern Religious Art.

If the visit takes place on a Sunday, the Pope's sermon can be heard or a place can be booked for a Wednesday audience.

History

Popes in their secular role ruled portions of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy. In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the Holy See include religious freedom, international development, the Middle East, terrorism, interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1 billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.