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The center of the Roman catholic world, the Vatican City is where "il papa", the pope, and the sacred college of cardinals reside and direct the doctines of the church. Every wednesday, the pope gives an audience to hundreds of followers. On holy days, he speaks in saint Peter's Square, delivering his message to a crowd gathered in the square and the world.
The history of this area goes back to the earliest days of Christianity. Saint Peter, a disciple of Jesus and the first pope, was buried here in AD 67. In 315, the emperor Constantine began the construction of a church to commemorate the saint. Since 1377, the magnificent basilica built in his honor has been the seat of the papacy.
Located within Rome, the Vatican is a self-governing city within a city. The Lateran treaty of 1929 awarded the pope sole sovereignity of vatican city. The Swiss Guards, who protect the pope and cardinals wear uniforms that the tradition attributes to Michelangelo.
Even for people of other faiths, the vatican is still a marvel to behold. Saint Peter's basilica took over 150 years to complete and contains masterpieces by some of the world's greatest artists, including Raphael, Bramante, Carlo Maderno, and of course, Michelangelo, who, at seventy-two, was the primary architect of the church's dome and painter of the stunning ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling was painstakingly restored in the 1990s and now can once again be viewed in all its grandeur.
The piazza in front of the basilica, designed by Bernini, is also an architectural masterpiece. Two semicircles of colonnades, dotted with statues of saints, surround the entrance. In the center stands and Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome by the emperor Caligula, uncle of Nero, and placed in the center of the square by Pope Sixtus V in 1586.
Inside the church itself one can see Michelangelo's Pieta' and Arnolfo di Cambio's St Peter, whose foot has been rubbed smooth by the hands of the devoted. The pope's high altar stands over Peter's grave,a living emblem of Christ's famous words:" Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church".
The Vatican, with its message of peace and hope for all, continues to be a source of inspiration to millions of followers around the world.