The Capital of Christianity

"And I tell you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Mt XVI, 18-19). With these words Jesus is said to have entrusted the task of leading the church to Saint Peter.

Vatican City, enclosed within the Leonine Walls, with an area of barely forty-four hectares, is the smallest state in the world. It rises in the very heart of Rome, on the right bank of the Tiber, and has been the seat of the Pope and the Pontifical Curia since 1377; by effect of the Lateran Pacts it was established on 11 February 1929 as an autonomous state under the sovereignty of the Holy See. Its supreme body is the Pope, who holds the fullness of power.

- THE HOLY FATHER, the Roman Pontiff, as successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible principle and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the multitude of the faithful. In the exercise of his supreme, full and immediate power over the whole Church, the Roman Pontiff makes use of the departments of the Roman Curia, which therefore carry out their work in his name and by his authority, for the benefit of the Churches and in the service of the sacred pastors. - Its citizens are the cardinals of the Curia and all those who reside permanently in the Vatican City State. Our visit, of just one day, is enough to lead us into the heart of Peter's City and reveals its great historical, artistic and spiritual value.

Saint Peter's Basilica with the adjoining Apostolic Palaces and other lesser buildings covers a third of the state's total area, while the rest is occupied by the prestigious gardens. You cannot help being fascinated as you contemplate from outside Saint Peter's Basilica and the Apostolic Palaces, or stand enchanted gazing, head raised, at the frescoes with scenes from the lives of Christ and Moses, the Last Judgement of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms. After so much art there is nothing better than a timeless stroll in the green oasis of peace of the Vatican Gardens, among fountains and unique plants, rich in anecdotes and curiosities about the history of the Vatican. Finally, we too, like the other pilgrims, don't hesitate to have our photo taken with the Swiss soldiers who stand guard at the entrances to the Vatican.

You have to go back to the Renaissance to understand the presence of the Swiss soldiers in the Vatican. Fear of invasion led Pope Julius II to bring the Swiss mercenaries to Rome, considered invincible at the time. They swore loyalty to the pope on 22 January 1506 and this is the official birth date of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. That day, a group of one hundred and fifty Swiss mercenaries, under the command of Captain Kaspar von Silenen, entered the Vatican for the first time through the Porta del Popolo, where they were blessed by Pope Julius II. Once the ritual photo is taken, we leave Vatican City and return to Italy.