church gave up its claims of the Papal
States in return for Vatican City
becoming an independent state, or
country.
Including St. Peter who served as
the first pope beginning in A.D. 42,
there have been 264 popes, including
John Paul II. Popes are elected by a
Neal G.
council of cardinals, most recently
Lineback
called the Sacred College of Cardinals.
There are 117 cardinals from around
the world who will be eligible to vote
for the next pope. Popes are now
appointed for life. In the past, many
were elderly cardinals when elected
pope. On the average, popes lived
As Roman Catholics and many
about six years after being elected and
others mourn the recent death of Pope
a few lived less than few weeks.
John Paul II, the Vatican is at the
Pope John Paul II was born Karol
center of world news. As the world’s
Wojtyla
in Wadowice, Poland, on May
smallest independent country, Vatican
18,
1920.
He was elected pope on
City’s influence greatly outweighs its
October
16,
1978, and was the first
tiny territorial limits.
non-Italian pope in 456 years. Upon
Vatican City sits on top of Vatican
his recent death, Pope John Paul II had
Hill in Rome, Italy, to the west of the
served for 26 years and was the
Tiber River. As an enclave within
second longest serving pope.
Rome, Vatican City has only 108.7
In addition to being the most
acres (44 h.), comparable to an urban
traveled
pope, having visited more
park or about 100
than 200 countries,
football fields. Fewer
The Holy City in Mourning
Pope John Paul II was
than 1,000 people
one of the most
©2005
reside within its walls.
respected and beloved
Thousands of priests,
pope of all times.
nuns and lay workers
Among his many
live outside Vatican
Rome
legacies were his pleas
Barracks
Art Gallery
City and work on or
for world peace and
visit
the
grounds
his
opposition
to
daily.
communism. He was
Vatican City is the
proud of his Polish
spiritual and governheritage,
but
the
mental center for the
center of his world
Roman
Catholic
was Vatican City.
Sistine
Church, representing
Chapel
Vatican
City
is
the largest Christian
Saint Peter’s
geographically
tiny,
Basilica
denomination in the
Heliport
but its influence is
world. The pope is its
worldly.
ruler, whose charge is
And that is Geograto lead and direct the
phy
in the News™.
spirituality of millions
Geography in the News 4/15/05
P. Larkins
April 15, 2005. #777.
of Roman Catholics.
Herbacious
500 ft
Trees
Buildings
Vatican City 0
Cover
When news media
Source: World Book
refer to the Vatican,
Encyclopedia, Microsoft
rather than Vatican City, the reference
called the Papal States. In 1870, howEncarta Encyclopedia and The World
is usually to the pope and the governever, Pope Pius IX lost control of the
Almanac and Book of Facts, 2005.
ment of Vatican City, similarly to a
Papal States, retreated to Vatican City
(The author is a Geography Professor
reference to Washington, the Kremlin
and refused to cooperate with the
and Interim Dean of the College of Arts
or Tokyo.
Italian government. In the Treaty of
and Sciences at Appalachian State
Lateran signed in 1929 by the pope
High stone walls surround the
University, Boone, NC.)
and the Italian government, the
irregular outline of Vatican City.
Geography
In The
News™
VATICAN CITY:
A CENTER OF
INFLUENCE
Buildings and courtyards are rather
tightly grouped, but St. Peter’s
Basilica, or Church, is located near the
center of the territory. Its huge size
and massive dome dominate the landscape.
The pope’s apartment is located
inside Vatican Palace, a group of interconnected buildings that contain more
than 1,000 rooms. These include other
apartments,
chapels,
museums,
offices, reception spaces and even
medical facilities.
Vatican Hill was the initial site of
Roman emperor Nero’s public
gardens. Many Roman Catholic faithful, however, believed that the apostle
Peter, named the first pope, was
buried there and they built a shrine to
him about A.D. 64. It was on this spot
that popes later erected Vatican City
beginning with a basilica built in the
A.D. by Christian emperor Constantine the Great. Over the years as the
Roman Catholic Church increased its
worldwide influence, the popes
increased control over the Italian
provinces around Rome. These were
©2005 Maps.com