The Vatican is located on a hill in the northwest corner of Rome, the capital of Italy. It is the most "miniature" country in the world and is known as the "state within the city."

(Aerial view of the Vatican)

The Vatican covers an area of ??only 0.44 square kilometers, equivalent to three-fifths of the Forbidden City in Beijing. The entire territory is triangular in shape, and its territory includes St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Apostolic Palace, the Papal Summer Residence and the Vatican Museums, etc., surrounded by city walls. St. Peter's Church is open to the public. The national gate of the Vatican is located on the left side of the church. It is a solid iron gate guarded by fully armed guards.

The permanent population of the Vatican is less than 600, mainly Italians. Most of these people are clergy, consisting of bishops, priests, and nuns. The proportion of men among these residents is as high as 95%, and there are only more than 30 women in the country. There are only more than 200 residents actually living in the Vatican.

Because the Vatican is too small, the entire country does not have any industry, agriculture or natural resources. The country's economy mainly relies on tourism, as well as bank loans, house rentals, stamp issuance, donations from believers, tributes to the Pope, etc.

The Vatican is a country that combines politics and religion, and the supreme leader of the country is the Pope. The Pope claims to be the "representative of Christ on earth" and possesses supreme divine power. At the same time, it has the highest executive, legislative, and judicial powers. It is elected by a two-thirds majority of the College of Cardinals and serves for life.

However, such a small country is the center of world Catholicism and the seat of the Catholic Holy See. With more than 1 billion Catholic believers in the world, it is the country with the most powerful religious power, and its influence is no less than that of any superpower in the world.

In 1984, UNESCO listed the entire Vatican City on the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. In this small land, there are a number of unique works of art and architectural masterpieces, attracting millions of tourists every year.

(Old photo of the Pope)

So, why is this land so magical? It's so small, why hasn't anyone thought of destroying it?

First, the Vatican has a long history.

Vatican City means "the place of the prophets" in Latin and was the center of the Papal States in the Middle Ages. In the 6th century AD, the Bishop of Rome obtained the actual power to rule the region and was called the "Pope". It was during this period that St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Palace were built.

Around 750 AD, the "Papal State" was established, with a directly administered territory of more than 40,000 square kilometers. At the end of the 14th century, the Vatican became the main residence of the Pope. In 1870, an uprising broke out in Rome against the rule of the Pope. After the Pope was deprived of his power, he retreated to the Vatican Palace in the northwest corner of Rome.

In 1929, the Italian government signed the "Lateran Treaty" with the Pope, recognizing the Vatican as a sovereign state. The Vatican also became an independent city-state, and the Pope enjoyed national governance. After independence, the Vatican is a neutral country. Although its territory is small, it is sacred and inviolable.

(Pope and Catholics)

Second, the Vatican has a strong international influence.

The Vatican is the most influential country in the world's religious circles. The Pope controls the global Catholic Church and is the spiritual leader of all believers. He has supreme authority and has the highest power in faith, morality, discipline and administration.

There are more than 1 billion Catholics in the world, half of whom are in the Americas, accounting for nearly 50% of the world's Catholics. Europe accounts for 25%, Africa accounts for 14%, Oceania accounts for 1%, and Asia accounts for 10%. Unlike Islam, another major religion, Catholicism is more tightly organized and has stronger cohesion.

To put it bluntly, as long as the Pope in the Vatican stamps his foot, the whole world will be shocked.

Such a pope will of course play an important role in international affairs. Since independence, the Vatican has established formal diplomatic relations with 179 countries and regions. Successive popes have visited more than 100 countries, often meeting with heads of state and expressing their views. In addition to completing the primary task of "doing good work on people's souls", it is also the pope's unshirkable responsibility to be committed to promoting religious reconciliation and world peace.

During the term of Pope John Paul II, diplomatic activities were most active.

He once strongly called for a ban on the development of nuclear weapons. It also uses religious influence to mediate international disputes. When Britain and Argentina went to war, he traveled between the two countries and called for a peaceful negotiated settlement. After the outbreak of the Iraq War, he also strongly expressed his anti-war stance. When Bush visited the Vatican, John Paul II told Bush face to face that he was opposed to wanton war and hoped to resolve disputes through peaceful means.

(St. Peter’s Square)

Thirdly, the Vatican has a splendid culture.

In addition to its lofty religious status, the Vatican also has splendid culture and art. Its artistic masterpieces are mainly concentrated in St. Peter's Basilica, St. Peter's Square and the Vatican Museums.

St. Peter's Basilica itself is an art treasure. It is the largest church in the world and the business card and symbol of the Vatican. St. Peter's Square is a place of pilgrimage and gathering for many Catholics. It is also the place where the Pope delivers speeches and meets with the faithful.

The Vatican Museum is simply a palace of art and a treasure house, and its collection of hundreds of thousands of pieces is breathtaking. There are not only precious cultural relics from the early days of Christianity, but also rare artworks from ancient Egypt and ancient Rome, and even religious relics from the Renaissance.

On the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, there are still preserved the classic works of the great Italian Renaissance painter Michelangelo - "Genesis" and "Mother and Son", among which " "Mother and Son" is Michelangelo's only signature work.