Why does the Vatican hide documents?

The biggest reason behind limited access was the concern that Protestant scholars might use their access to defame or embarrass the Catholic Church. In 1879, Pope Leo XIII appointed archivist Cardinal Josef Hergenröther, who recommended allowing access to historians.

Do the Vatican archives exist?

Housed in one of the most iconic bastions of religion and culture ever, the Vatican’s Secret Archives are the stuff of historical legend—but their existence is absolutely real. But, until 1881, not even scholars of Christianity were permitted access to the archive.

Which Roman site has a secret passageway to the Vatican?

The Passetto di Borgo, or simply Passetto, is an elevated passage that links the Vatican City with the Castel Sant’Angelo. It is an approximately 800-metre-long (2,600 ft) corridor, located in the rione of Borgo.

Is St Peter buried under the Vatican?

Peter’s tomb under Vatican. VATICAN CITY Pope Francis on Monday took an emotional, close-up look at the tomb of Peter, the church’s first pontiff, buried beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican said.

What is inside Castel Sant Angelo?

Castel Sant’Angelo – Hadrian’s Tomb and the Papal Fortress. Starting out as a mausoleum built to contain the remains of one of Rome’s most famous emperors, Castel Sant’Angelo was later converted into a fortress, a papal residence, a prison and an execution ground.

What is the truth behind the secret Vatican archives?

The truth behind the secret archives stems from a mistranslation of Latin. The actual name of the Vatican archives is Archivum Secretum Apostolicum Vaticanum . ‘Secretum’ in Latin does not mean ‘secret’ as some may suppose. It is more accurately translated to mean ‘personal’ or ‘private’.

Did the Vatican try to interfere in the conclave?

The subhead read: “Documents from the (formerly Secret) Vatican Archive show the attempts to interfere in the conclave that elected Pius XII: ‘He is too political a figure and inclined to have a democratic mentality.’”

Is there evidence of alien life in the Vatican?

The evidence of alien life is generally believed to be the remains of an alien being. This evidence is given as the reason the Holy See constructed the Vatican’s astronomy observatory directly above the Secret Archives.

Who owns the Catholic Church’s Secret Archives?

As it turns out, every diocese has secret archives, too, and many have helped corroborate the Church’s participation in the abuse. But documents at the Vatican’s Secret Archives are only released once they’re at least 75 years old—and the archive’s true owner is not the Church, but the Pope.