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Published: September 4th 2007
Vatican City, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome. The City is the smallest sovereign state in the world at 0.44 square kilometres (108.7 acres).
Vatican City is an elected monarchy that is ruled by the Bishop of Rome — the Pope. The Pope is ex officio head of state and head of government of Vatican City and the term Holy See expresses the totality of his governance and pastoral ministry.
The Vatican City State has the distinction of having the smallest and oldest regular army in the world, the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Vatican City also has its own post office, fire brigade, police service, commissary (supermarket), bank, railway station, electricity generating plant, and publishing house. The Vatican also controls its own Internet domain (.va).
Saint Peter's Basilica is located in the Piazza San Pietro (Saint Peter's Square) and is one of the holiest sites of Christendom in the Catholic tradition. It is traditionally the burial site of its namesake Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.
Adjacent to Saint Peter's Basilica is the Sistine Chapel which is famous for its architecture, decoration,
and frescoes by the greatest Renaissance artists in the world, including Michelangelo, Raphael, Rossellini and Botticelli. Unfortunately, the use of cameras is strictly prohibited in the vaulted ceiling area of the Sistine Chapel which contains some of Michelangelo's most famous works (The Creation of Adam, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the Great Flood and the Last Judgment.) (I had to buy post cards.) The Pope originally commissioned Michelangelo to paint only 12 figures, the Apostles. He turned down the commission because he saw himself as a sculptor, not a painter. When the Pope offered to allow Michelangelo to paint biblical scenes of his own choice as a compromise, he completed the work with more than 300 figures.
P.S. - I found this bit about Citizenship very interesting:
Citizenship of the Vatican City is granted iure officii, which means it 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 (unless the marriage is annulled or dissolved, or if a conjugal separation
is decreed) and children (until, if they are capable of working, they turn 25, or in the case of daughters, if they marry). 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 only passports issued by the Vatican are diplomatic passports and service passports.
As of 31 December 2005 there were 558 people with Vatican citizenship, of whom 246 are dual-citizens of other countries (the majority being Italian). The Lateran Treaty provides that in the event a Vatican citizen has his or her original nationality revoked and also loses Vatican citizenship, he or she will be automatically granted Italian citizenship.
Among the 558 were:
The Pope;
58 cardinals;
293 members of the clergy who serve as diplomatic envoys abroad;
62 lesser-ranking clergy members who work in the Vatican;
101 officers, NCOs, and men of the Papal Swiss Guard; and
43 lay persons.
Thanks Wikipedia! Reference: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City
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Musei Vaticani
Stephanie
non-member comment
Wow!!!
Hey Sam!!! Those pictures are ALL beautiful! My fav is the one's of the guards though, in their silly uniforms! I want to squeeze them! haha I hope ALL is well and I cant wait for you to come back to share all the pics in person! Stay safe!