The Vatican

Tuesday. June 17, 2025

On June 6th we finished our site-seeing at Vatican City: Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Cathedral, St Peter’s Square. 

St Peter’s Square with St Peter’s Cathedral on the left, the Vatican Obelisk in the center, and the papal residence on the upper right. It is said that this obelisk saw the martyrdom of Peter. 

Did you know that Vatican City is its own country — the smallest independent nation-state in the world?

Did you know that it is not part of the European Union? While it is considered an enclave of Rome, it’s governed by the “Lateran Treaty” and not by the EU. 

Do you know how big The Vatican is? It is 121 acres or 0.44 sq km. Bill could walk its perimeter in about 45 minutes.

How many citizens live in Vatican City? Just a little over 800. But no one is a permanent citizen of this country for two reasons: no one can be born there (they must be born elsewhere like in Rome) and once the people who work there complete their service, they have to leave and their citizenship is stripped. 

Did you know that the Vatican owns a telescope on Mount Graham in Arizona where they conduct research?

It has no hospital, no prison and has the highest wine consumption per capita in the world—not that these are related. It also has the highest crime rate per capita thanks to all the “tourists” who make their living by purse-snatching and pick-pocketing. 

Here we are outside of the Vatican wall. Once we go through security we’ll be in the Vatican Museum of Art and Maps. 

This is a tapestry. 

This is in the Hall of Maps.

Michelangelo’s Pietà (marble sculpture of Mary holding Jesus after his death) is in St. Peter’s Basilica. 

St Peter’s Basilica is massive. It is the largest church building in the world. 

Constantine the Great had the original St. Peter’s church built in the fourth century. According to tradition, Peter was buried under its grand altar. From 1506-1626 the current basilica was built over the original one, making sure the altar was directly over Peter’s burial site.

This is Pope John XXIII who was exhumed in 2001. His face, hands and feet are now wax. He lies in a crystal coffin. 

This is the mummified body of Pope St. Pius X who served from 1903-1914. His face and hands are covered in silver. 

At the Altar of the Transfiguration we found Raphael’s painting — or did we? In an effort to protect the priceless painting from loss in a fire, it was removed to a museum and this mosaic reproduction was put in its place. Yes, this is made of something like 5 million tiny tiles. 

The dome of St. Peter’s Basilica is the second tallest building in the urban area of Rome. It is amazing. 

I am so glad we were able to visit all of these places in Rome. But we were all exhausted. It was a busy two days!

LORD, I am amazed at the magnificence of the Vatican. It’s hard to imagine that people had the vision and the ingenuity to create such a place. Yet you have prepared a place for us that will be more beautiful than anything on earth. Thank you.