Yearbook 2008
Vatican City. The Vatican’s intentions to sanctify the disputed Pope Pius XII were met by criticism from several quarters, including from Israel. Pius, who was pope in 1939–58, has been criticized for not openly renouncing Nazi Germany’s genocide of six million Jews. In 2007, a decree came from the Vatican acknowledging Pius’ “heroic virtues”, which is a first step in the process of proclaiming saints. In October 2008, the Pope said that Pius had worked “in secret and silence” to save Jews and that he hoped that Pius’s path to saints would be happy.
- ABBREVIATIONFINDER: Click to see the meanings of 2-letter acronym and abbreviation of VT in general and in geography as Vatican in particular.
During the year, the Vatican modernized the classic seven sins to better suit a globalized world. The seven deadly sins of the day are: environmental destruction, gene manipulation, accumulating excessive wealth, causing poverty, drug trafficking and drug use, morally questionable experiments and violations of human nature’s fundamental rights. The seven traditional sins of sin are pride, envy, chills, lust, anger, greed and laziness.
Population 2008
According to Countryaah reports, the population of Vatican City in 2008 was 683, ranking number 235 in the world. The population growth rate was -0.100% yearly, and the population density was 0.0000 people per km2.
The population of the state of Città del Vatican (April 1995) is composed, in addition to the Pontiff, sovereign of the state, of 469 citizens (50 cardinals residing in the state or in Rome, 240 members of the diplomatic representations of the Holy See, 31 ecclesiastics and religious, 1 religious, 122 male lay people – 100 of whom are soldiers of the Swiss Guard Corps – and 25 female). To be added 314 people who reside in the state of the City of Vatican without having citizenship: these are 126 ecclesiastics and religious, 134 religious, 11 lay men and 43 women. The entire territory of the State of the City of Vatican is placed under the protection of the Hague Convention of May 14, 1954, concerning the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict. The state is so recognized, also in the international discipline, as a moral, artistic and cultural heritage to be respected and protected as a treasure belonging to humanity. Furthermore, since 1984 the City of Vatican is registered in the world heritage list, as per the Convention of 16 November 1972 on the protection of the world, cultural and natural heritage.
The State Government of the City of Vatican is governed by the law issued on June 24, 1969, in force since July 1, 1969, and consisting of 6 articles. It establishes that, except for what the fundamental law of June 7, 1929 declares, the Supreme Pontiff exercises legislative and executive powers through a commission of cardinals, appointed by him for a five-year term. The commission is assisted by a special delegate, who is responsible for exercising executive power (art. 2). The special delegate is appointed by the Supreme Pontiff. In case of his absence or impediment, he is replaced by the Secretary General of the Governorate. The Special Delegate and the General Councilor of the State (art. 3), now vacant, also participate in the meetings of the Commission, convened by the Cardinal President. Based on art.
According to the aforementioned law, the main offices and services of the Governorate are divided and named as follows: 1) General Secretariat; 2) General Direction of Monuments, Museums and Pontifical Galleries; 3) Directorate General of Technical Services; 4) Direction of Economic Services; 5) Direction of Health Services; 6) Direction of the Vatican Observatory; 7) Direction of Studies and Archaeological Research; 8) Direction of the Pontifical Villas. Furthermore, with the. of 25 March 1991, n. clxviii, the Commission established that the Central Supervisory Office, hitherto dependent on the General Secretariat of the Governorate, was directly subject to the same Commission, with the name of the “Vigilance Corps of the Vatican City State”. From January 1, 1988, the law that approved the new judicial system came into force in the state.
The list of assets which, in relation to the Lateran Treaty and subsequent agreements with Italy, enjoy the immunities recognized by international law for the offices of diplomatic agents of foreign states, as well as exemption from expropriations – unless prior agreement with the Holy See – and taxes, as of April 1995, is the following: Archbasilica Patriarchal of St. John Lateran and Baptistery; Rectory of S. Giovanni in Laterano; Convent of the Lateran Penitentiary Fathers; Roman Major Seminary; Pontifical Lateran University; Lateran Apostolic Palace; Pontifical Sanctuary of the Scala Santa; Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore; Basilica of S. Paolo fuori le Mura and annexed buildings; Pontifical Female Oratory of St. Paul; Pontifical Male Oratory of St. Paul; Building of the employees of the Basilica of S. Paolo; Pontifical College Bede; Building in via Colossi (house number 50); Building in via Colossi (house number 20); Palace of S. Callisto; Palace of the Chapter of S. Maria in Trastevere; Palazzo Maffei, known as della Pigna; Propaganda Fide Palace; Palace of the Apostolic Chancellery; Palazzo S. Paolo; Pio Palace; Roman House of the Clergy (via della Traspontina); Convertendi Palace; Palazzo dei Propilei (side of Via di Porta Angelica); Palazzo dei Propilei (side of the S. Spirito Hospital); House of the Writers S. Pietro Canisio; General Curia of the Jesuit Fathers; Convent of the Sisters of the Addolorata; Pius XI House – Calasanzian Sisters; Institute ” Maria SS. Girl”; General Curia of the Augustinian Fathers; Palazzo del S. Uffizio; S. Maria College in Campo Santo Teutonico; House of Hospitality ” Gift of Mary ”; Pontifical College of St. Giosafat (Ukrainian); Pontifical Pius Romeno College; Convent and Church of S. Onofrio; Infant Jesus Hospital; Pontifical North American College; Pontifical Urban College ” de Propaganda Fide ”; Pontifical Urbaniana University; Pontifical Roman Minor Seminary; Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo and Specola; Missionary College ” Mater Ecclesiae ” (Castel Gandolfo); Radio Center S. Maria di Galeria. Mater Ecclesiae ” (Castel Gandolfo); Radio Center S. Maria di Galeria. Mater Ecclesiae ” (Castel Gandolfo); Radio Center S. Maria di Galeria.