Learn everything about the Vatican State on its 90th anniversary

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Today, the 90th anniversary of the Declaration of the State of the Vatican, declared as an independent state on June 7, 1929, after the signing of three treaties in the palace of Latran between the Italian government led by Benito Mussellini and the representative of Pope Pius XI, Cardinal Pietro Caspari, The three agreements organized the relationship between the Vatican and the Italian state, and stipulated that the Vatican with its current borders, a separate part of the Italian state and administered by the Pope.

The Catholic Church believes that the plateau (the site of the present state) witnessed the crucifixion of St. Peter in 67 as part of a campaign of mass persecutions led by Emperor Nero to the Christians, It is believed that St. Peter was buried in a small grave down the plateau.

In addition to being the center of the spiritual leadership of the Catholic Church in the world, which has more than 1.147 billion followers, it also maintains in its museums and archives a collection of the finest artistic products of mankind over the ages, as well as the peaceful and moral issues it defends.

The Vatican is the smallest country in terms of area in the world and takes the form of semi-elliptical in the heart of the city of Rome, the capital of Italy, which is surrounded by all directions and separated by special walls; the Vatican area is 0.44 square kilometers and a population of only 940 people and therefore the smallest country in the world in terms of Population also.

The name was derived from a small plateau called the Vatican, and this plateau was not on the list of seven highlands that convey Italian tradition as the cradle of modern Rome.

Due to the small size of the Vatican, the main monuments can be divided into three areas: St. Peter's Cathedral, which is now the largest church in the world, and the palace in front of it, in addition to the Apostolic Palace, which includes several separate buildings covering the Pope's residence, the official meeting hall and the headquarters of a number of synagogues. Along with the archives, while the third area is the Vatican Gardens. The streets and squares of the Vatican, including the streets of the parks, are 70 streets and squares, most of them small in size and few in width.

The Pope is the supreme spiritual leader of the Catholic Church and has several qualities as the successor to St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ on earth, the Bishop of Rome, the Patriarch of the West and the head of the visible church. He is also called the Grand Pontiff, the Holy Father and His Holiness. His titles and definitions since 1929, and the current Pope is Francis I.

(tt) The Vatican (t) The smallest country in the world (t) The Catholic Church (t) The Holy See (t) The tomb of St. Peter