Vatican
Thanks to the Treaty of Laterano, drawn up between the Holy Seat and Italy in 1929, the City of Vatican is an independent State under the Pope’s or Supreme Pontiff’s Sovereignty . It has a population of 1000 inhabitants and a territory of 20,44 square Km. It is bounded by San Pietro’s Colonnade, Via di Porta Angelica, Piazza del Risorgimento, Viale of Michelangelo’s Bastions, Viale Vaticano, Vatican Station’s Street, Largo di Porta Cavalleggeri, Piazza del Santo Uffizio and Paolo VI’s Street . Thanks to the same Treaty also the Basiliche of San Giovanni in Laterano, of Santa Maria Maggiore and of San Paolo Fuori le Mura, The Palasts of Laterano, of the Cancelleria,of Propaganda Fide of the Ex-Vicariat, the Pediatric Hospital of Bambino Gesù and Palazzo Pontificio of Castel Gandolfo, together with Villa Cybo and Villa Barberini, benefit from the same extraterritoriality. According to the basic law of the Vatican City, come into effect on February 22, 2001 in place of the previous one, issued by Pio XI in 1929. The Supreme Pontiff has all the powers: legislative, executive and judiciary, that are exercised by the relative competent organs. The Pope represents the Vatican State as concerns the International relations through the State Secretariat. He appoints the Special Representative that administrates The Vatican City, that prints its own stamps, coins its own money ( Euros of Vatican ), that has a free circulation in the Italian Republic. It has an own broadcasting and railway station connected to the Italian railway, it also prints its own daily newspaper ‘’L’Osservatore Romano’’. In the Vatican City and in the extraterritorial offices, the Police and Service Order is carried out by the Gendarmerie of the Vatican State and by the Swiss Guard, founded in 1506 . The Swiss Guard wear the well known uniforms of that time, that according to tradition , had been designed by Michelangelo.
THE POPE AND THE CARDINALS: The Supreme Pontiff is the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of San Pietro and therefore the head of Catholic Church and Vicar of Christ. He benefits from “ PRIMATUS JURISDICTIONIS “, that is to say from the complete and Supreme Juridiction Power over the whole Church. The Pope is helped by the Holy College of Cardinals and by the Roman Curia. The Holy Cardinal’s College ( until 1958 it was composed of 70 Members, but now their number is not limited, is divided into the three orders of Cardinals, Bishops,( of the series suburbicarious), Priests and Diacres. The Roman Curia includes the Congregations ( asort of collegial offices, presided the Pope himself or by a Cardinal), the courts, the secretariats, the commissions and the offices.
The conclave: (from the ancient " Latin cum" = with and " clavis " = key, place closed with key). At the death of the Pontiff the Cardinal are assembled in seclusion for the election of the new Pope (usually in the Cappella Sistina), announced from the smoke that goes out of a vent: white, when the vote has brought to the proclamation of the successor of San Pietro( are burnt only the cards); black, when the result is negative (and damp straw is mixed to the cards).
The pontifical court: the papal court is composed of the potificial chapel and from the pontifical family; the first one includes all those people that take place in the cortege of the Pontiff during public functions; to the second belong those people that carry out tasks in the Vatican Palast.
The Holy year: was proclaimed for the first time by Pope Bonifacio VIII on February 22 nd 1300 It had a various frequency at first 50 years, then 33, therefore 25, but it was proclaimed for other recurrences. The begin of the jubilee year takes place with the opening of the Holy Door, there is one in each of the four patriarchal basilicas (San Giovanni in Laterano, San Pietro, San Paolo and Santa Maria fuori le mura) . At the end of the Holy Year the Holy Door is walled up again till the next Jubilee.
Papal audiences: to take part in a papal audience, or to assist to the Mass of the Pope, it is necessary to make a request or to go to the prefecture of the Pontifical House. For common audiences and for audiences granted to the great pilgrimages any decent dress is admitted. The Pope celebrates the Mass during the greatest festivities at San Pietro, where he also proclaims the canonization of Saints; among these Services, famous for their solemnity, particularly famous are the Holy Week and the Easter ones.
access: as concerns San pietro’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums there is no formality, but the entrance to the Basilica and the Vatican City is allowed only to people decently dressed (shorts are not admitted, short skirts, tops etc. are not permitted).
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