With an area of about 110 acres and a population of around 1,000 people, Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, contained fully inside the city of Rome, but its small physical size belies its somewhat outsized influence and power. As the home of the Holy See, the jurisdiction of the pope, Vatican City is the center of leadership for the Catholic Church, the world’s oldest and largest continuously operating religious institution. As the home of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums, Vatican City is also a major cultural center. It’s kind of a big deal. And as the heart of the world’s largest Christian denomination, it’s theoretically a sacred and holy place, where, like, God is present and stuff.
But reaching back to some of the Middle Ages’ less savory popes and through the Vatican’s independence from Italy being granted in 1929 by notoriously chill dude Benito Mussolini, there are definitely some less than holy stains on the Vatican’s history. Setting aside conspiracy theories about aliens or Templar treasure and the abuse scandals you have definitely heard about, there are plenty of pretty gross things the pope and his pointy-hatted entourage would certainly prefer you not know about. Here’s just a few.
