10 Secrets of the Vatican We have prepared a list of fun facts and secrets of the Vatican for you. Enjoy! 1. ATM's in Latin. Yes, Vatican is the only country in the world to have ATM's that speak Latin. Latin is the official language of the Vatican and one can choose this option by simply pressing the button. Rumor has it, that the former Pope Benedict XVI, loved his transactions done in Latin. 2. St. Peter's basilica is not the most important Catholic Church in the world. The most important Catholic Church in the world is in fact, Saint John in Lateran. It was built in the 4th century AD, under Constantine the Great. St. John's is an Archbasilica and the Cathedral of Rome, and it houses the throne of his holiness the Pope. To become a Pope, the newly-elected Bishop of Rome has to hold mass in Saint John's. 3. Secret archives are not so secret. The archives of Vatican are vast, and contain some of the most important, historical records and documents, but contrary to popular belief, the archives of Vatican are not that secret. In fact, they have been declassified a very long time ago, in late 19th century by Pope Leo XIII. Right now world's leading scholars, historians and linguists are working on the digitization of the ancient books and manuscripts. So very soon the secret archives and the regular Vatican archives will be available online. 4. Popes don't have to change their names! They choose to, to follow the saint they are devoted to. The first Pope to change his name was Pope Mercurius in the 6th century, because his pagan name was not really appropriate for this kind of a job, and he took the name of John II. He was elected in
10 Secrets of the Vatican We have prepared a list of fun facts and secrets of the Vatican for you. Enjoy! 1. ATM’s in Latin. Yes, Vatican is the only country in the world to have ATM’s that speak Latin. Latin is the official language of the Vatican and one can choose this option by
