The Pope is the supreme religious leader of the Roman Catholic Church, the Bishop of Rome and the head of state of the Vatican. The literal meaning of 'Pope' is 'father'. It is derived from the Latin word 'papa' which itself is derived from the Greek word 'papas'. He is also called Pope (Father) and 'Holy Father'.
Jesus named his disciple Saint Peter as the basis of his church and 'Head Shepherd' and assured him that his church would exist for centuries. Saint Peter died in Rome. Therefore, from the very beginning, he was considered the successor of Saint Peter, the Bishop of Rome, the head of the whole Church and the representative of Christ on earth.
No one ever claimed to be the successor of Saint Peter except the Bishop of Rome, but with the split of the Eastern Church and the emergence of Protestantism, the authority of the Pope has been debated for centuries. Ultimately the Pope of the Vatican holds the first authority in this position.
He is the supreme interpreter of the teachings of Christ and as the supreme authority of the Church he is infallible when interpreting the doctrine. Pope John Paul (II) (E.1978-2005) brought the Vatican into the modern era.
Pope Benedict (XVI) was elected the 265th Pope of the Catholic Church on 19 April 2005. In the year 2013, 'Francis' of Argentine origin became the new Pope. 'Francis' is the first pope from outside Europe after Gregory III (AD.731-41). At present, he is the Supreme Patriarch of St. Peter's Basilica and the Catholic Church and is the ruler of the Vatican.
Vatican City
In AD 1929, after the treaty between Pope Louis (IX) and King Emmanuel (III) of Italy, a religious state called Vatican City came into existence. This state is located in the city of Rome, located almost in the middle of Italy. It is the official residence and capital of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church. The Pope is the sole ruler of this state. Vatican City was granted full independent statehood in 2005.
Geographical and Political Expansion
Vatican City is located on a triangular piece of land in the middle of Rome at the western end of the Tiber River. On its south-eastern edge is St. Peter's Square, in which St. Peter's Church is located. There are huge pillars around this church.
To its north are the managerial buildings and Belvidere Park in the quadrilateral area. To the west of Belvidere Park is the Pope's Palace and next to it is the Vatican Gardens, which is half of this small kingdom. The Leonine Wall serves as the western and southern boundary. Rome has many places of religious importance and churches which are tax-exempt by the Italian government but are not part of the religious empire, namely Vatican City.
Vatican City has its own citizenship, its own currency, its own postage stamp and its own flag, and its own diplomats. This church is open to travelers throughout the year. Devotees visiting here can meet the Pope in public and in person.
The Vatican also has its own newspaper, railway station and broadcasting facilities. Vatican City has seven universities which are located in Rome. The independence of Vatican City is intact and it is protected by the government of Rome.
Church Government
The Pope controls the Church of the Vatican through the College of Cardinals. They are free to make all kinds of decisions but they trust and consult the cardinals in all matters. The troops of the Swiss Guard, which were established in the 16th century, serve as bodyguards of the Pope. Its members wear costumes designed by Michelangelo. The head of the public government of Vatican City is the chairman of the commission of bishops appointed for Vatican City, which is a cardinal and the state legislature. The state is run under the Constitutional Act 2000. Law and order is based on canonization and its court is part of the Church.
Castle and Treasure of the Vatican
The palaces of the Vatican are made up of three-four-storey buildings, which have been expanded and changed from time to time. The Pope's residence and office are located near the pillars on St. Peter's Square. The rest has been converted into the Vatican Museum and Library. The Vatican Museum has an important place in the world. The Museo Pio-Clementino Museum, established in the 18th century, houses the world's oldest objects.
The Cheiramonti Museum, established in the 19th century, houses a collection of Greek sculptures. Bracchio Nuevo, the Egyptian Museum and the Etroscon Museum have also been established in the Vatican, in which paintings by famous painters like Giotto, Gursino, Caravaggio and Poussin etc. are stored. The Museum of Vatican City is 14.5 kilometers long.
It is said that if you spend one minute looking at a painting, it will take four years to see the whole museum. Only a small part of the Vatican's art-treasury has been kept in these museums. Most of the modern paintings are displayed in the galleries of various buildings.
The Vatican Library is located in the western region and houses handwritten manuscripts from various languages of the ancient and Middle East. The main prayer hall of the Vatican is the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling of which was painted by Michelangelo between AD 1508 and 1512 and is preserved today.
History of the Vatican
After the 5th century, Vatican City developed into the residence of the Pope. When Emperor Constantine (I) built St. Peter's Baselica, Pope Cymachus built a palace near it.
Pope Avignon lived in the Latron Palace in France before the Babylonian annexation in the 14th century. With the arrival of the Pope in Rome in AD 1377, the Vatican became the official residence of the Pope. In general all the popes were patrons of the arts. He collected a variety of valuable artifacts, sculptures and paintings and built huge galleries.
Between the 17th and 19th centuries, the Vatican spent a lot of money on the construction of the papal palace. From AD 1870 to 1946, this palace was the residence of the ruler of Italy and is currently the official residence of the President of Italy. Monarchy is still in vogue in Vatican City, but there is no dynasty in this monarchy. The king of the Vatican is selected under certain rules.
The economy of this country is dependent on the publishing industry, making coins, selling postage stamps and other economic activities. The Vatican receives financial support from Catholic churches around the world. Apart from the sale of postage stamps and coins, Vatican City also earns income as a tourist destination.
The total area of Vatican City is 44 hectares i.e. 110 acres. The population of this country is 857 according to the 2007 census. It is the only state in the world which does not have agriculture. The literacy rate in Vatican City is 100%. The languages spoken here are English, French, Italian and Latin.
The Vatican is inhabited by Swiss, Italians and citizens of many other countries. The Vatican has its own postal system and coins. The 1 euro coin bears the picture of the current Pope and is in high demand among collectors. Italian citizens are allowed to pay an annual tax of 8 percent to the Vatican City as a donation instead of to their own government.
Vatican City issues its own passport. The Pope, cardinals and members of the Swiss Guard are its holders. The Vatican's postal system is mostly used by Italians because the Vatican's postal service is faster than Italy's.
The 314 meters long and 240 meters wide St. Peter's square and pillars were completed by Brunini in 1667. It is the largest square in Italy. Its pillars and other places are decorated with the idols of 140 saints. Vatican City's radio station is located in the Vatican Gardens and broadcasts in 20 languages of the world.
Roads in Vatican City are minimal, mostly streets and corridors. The railway track of Vatican City is only 0.86 km long. Its railway station was opened in AD 1930. Even before the spread of Christianity, this place was considered sacred and no one was allowed to stay overnight in this area. On 13 May 1981, an Ottoman civilian shot at the Pope at St. Peter's Square.
This was the first attempt to kill the Pope in the modern era. The Pope met the invader on 3 June 1985 and pardoned him. After this Italy reconsidered the independence of the Vatican and canceled the treaty of AD 1929. According to the new treaty, the independence of the Vatican remained as before, but other churches of Rome were taken over by the Italian government.