Visiting the Vatican

 Visiting the Vatican

Sage Warner

As is obvious to everyone I spoke with about it, I like Pope Francis. I am also a history and religion major, so our classes on religious history were some of my favorites, as well as our various site visits. So, as a fan of Pope Francis, art history, and the prospect of adding another country to the list of countries I’ve visited, I was looking forward to visiting Vatican City. 

For our class, we read about the history of the papacy, from the Renaissance to the Reformation (and Counter-Reformation) to World War 2. Learning about the Catholic Church and how it changed throughout the centuries, it is clear that the role of the Pope has changed over the centuries while remaining the authority of the Catholic Church. Our readings describe how in many ways the Popes of centuries past were very similar to corrupt monarchs, rather than pious religious leaders. They took bribes, engaged in debauchery, and used their authority to pursue personal interests. This was the cause of both the Reformation and elements of the work of Dante Alighieri, as many were aware of the corruption of the church.

Seeing the Vatican, it is easy to understand the cause of the frustration centuries ago. The Catholic church is a wealthy institution, and the splendor of the museums, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel makes it challenging to sympathize with the charity donation jars where visitors are encouraged to “give generously.” This feels ridiculous, coming from an institution worth at least 30 billion dollars, and more with the wealth of the Church in specific countries. 

Yet I still admire the current pope, as his efforts to care about poor people contribute to increased transparency and a rejection of some absurd luxuries provided to previous popes. Where other popes are documented participating in orgies in the papal apartments, something that is not permissible according to Catholic law, Pope Francis does not even live in these apartments. As a part of his commitment to living modestly, the Pope instead lives in the House of Saint Martha. Comparing these behaviors to the historical wildness of the Popesit is easy to see how even age-old institutions change over time.

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