Some say the most important secrets of the world are held by the Vatican

The total area of Vatican is approximately 110 acres and the number of citizens is calculated to be less than 1000. Despite being the smallest country in the world, mystery and confusion are associated very closely with the Vatican City. The history of this place is extremely complex and you will need to go through a lot of religious stuff in order to understand the actual story behind all this. The Vatican Secret Archives is the central repository where all this information is stored. As the leader, the Pope owns them until his tenure comes to an end either through resignation or death. In Latin, the archive is known as the Archivum Secretum Apostolicum and the name itself develops doubt in the minds of the people about the contents stored there.

The official word is that the mistranslation of the word ‘Secretum’ is a major reason for all this confusion. It actually means personal or private but some people translate it as secret. The archives consist of private letters and records of previous popes. These records are as old as 400 years. Pope Paul V realized the importance of preserving historical information and found this archive. The rulers of the 17^th century never believed in the theory that general public must be informed about the administration details or the conversations among the kings. As a result, the entry to these archives was limited.

It was 1881 when Pope Leo XIII made some amendment in this rule. He allowed researchers to view some specified content. However, the procedure is so rigorous that very few people go for it. Firstly, the minimum qualification to enter these archives is to prove that you are no less than a scholar. This eliminates a majority of the interested people as they are either students, young historians, or journalists. After crossing the first hurdle, you are given private credentials that are used for entering the place. They expire every six months and requires renewal in order to continue with your research work. Loughlin described the passage you have to pass through in the following words:

“Scholars enter through the Porta Sant’Anna, pass Swiss Guards, walk through the Cortile del Belvedere, and present credentials.”

If you were thinking that things become simpler after that, you are mistaken big time as there are quite strict rules to follow inside these archives. You have to request for any script you want after reading a catalog which is available only in Italian and Latin. You can make at most 3 requests a day so plan your requests wisely if you want to utilize your time to the full. Loughlin described this difficulty and said,

“If in just a few minutes they realize that what they’re seeking isn’t in the requested folders, they’re forced to pack up for the day – a challenge for scholars on a deadline or those who have traveled long distances.”

Searching through catalogs is not easy as shelves containing documents are spread over 50 miles and documents dating back to the 8^th century. You can use computers but photography is strictly banned. Hence, most of the times scholars are found typing notes.

There is another side of the picture according to which the Vatican vaults are kept secret due to the presence of thousands of magical texts pertaining to the existence of demons and magic. The people believing in these conspiracy theories claim that selective people are allowed to enter these archives as you won’t want someone to know the shady details. Some of these theories are:

·         Extra-Terrestrials

It is the most common controversy regarding the Vatican City. According to this theory, these archives have proof that the Pope has aligned forces with the aliens to conspire against the humans.

·         Pornography

This is one of the most controversial theories that has come forward with regards to the Vatican vaults. According to the Copenhagen’s Museum Erotica, Vatican holds the largest collection of erotica in the world. Renowned feminist scholar Camille Paglia and William F. Buckley, who is the founder of the National Review, also agreed to these claims.

·         Jesus Christ

One of the most disturbing theory is that the Vatican is hiding the proof that Jesus did not exist. Another theory with regards to Jesus is that Vatican vaults contain the conversation of Saint Paul and Emperor Nero in relation to Jesus’s existence and his biological descendants.