The Power of the Vatican

Several movies and other tabloids claim the position of the pope as the seat of ultimate power. Now what sort of power can the head of religious institution hold? The Vatican may have a bank of its own, but does it wield any power in the financial world? Can the Vatican dictate any political power anywhere?
Just wondering if members can fill us in on this conspiracy of sorts

a reply to: Nochzwei

its old?

Just think about how much property the Vatican owns and how much money in donations it gets every month. They have so much power is unfathomable.

a reply to: Nochzwei
Its real power, such as it is, would be the ability to influence the members of the religious insitution.
Not quite up to conspiracy theory standards, but important enough not to be ignored in the political world.

a reply to: Nochzwei

The Vatican used to have absolute power when churches were teaming with people at Sunday mass.

You see, the governments used to rule over the people in a secular manner but the church held their hearts and their aspirations.

But wander into a church nowadays - most are half empty.

That power has eroded away to insignificance now. The Pope is now as relevant to most people's every day life as Bill Cosby is.

a reply to: markosity1973

yes, yes, you are right...

Americans, still kids.. Never learn how to properly educate themselves..

there are more form of power than just money. the vatican controls people's hope and faith.

originally posted by: amazing
Just think about how much property the Vatican owns and how much money in donations it gets every month. They have so much power is unfathomable.

Exactly...

2 words

UNCOUNTABLE ASSETS

Å99

originally posted by: akushla99

originally posted by: amazing
Just think about how much property the Vatican owns and how much money in donations it gets every month. They have so much power is unfathomable.

Exactly...

2 words

UNCOUNTABLE ASSETS

Å99

I have four more words for you;

OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENTS

All of those coverups and hush money paid to victims of pedophile priests have cost the church dearly. Donations in wills are also drying up fast.

The church is going bankrupt any time soon, but it is not as wealthy as it once was either.

Remember, most of the antiquities held in the Vatican are artifacts that the RCC lifted and shifted from around greater Rome after it was abandoned. ie they preserved them in a time when nobody else wanted them.

originally posted by: markosity1973

originally posted by: akushla99

originally posted by: amazing
Just think about how much property the Vatican owns and how much money in donations it gets every month. They have so much power is unfathomable.

Exactly...

2 words

UNCOUNTABLE ASSETS

Å99

I have four more words for you;

OUT OF COURT SETTLEMENTS

All of those coverups and hush money paid to victims of pedophile priests have cost the church dearly. Donations in wills are also drying up fast.

The church is going bankrupt any time soon, but it is not as wealthy as it once was either.

Remember, most of the antiquities held in the Vatican are artifacts that the RCC lifted and shifted from around greater Rome after it was abandoned. ie they preserved them in a time when nobody else wanted them.

Agreed...but the Vatican City itself is an 'antiquity' of uncountable value...and I can't think of any other city in the world, that operates effectively like a separate country...so they could sell as many 'walk-away' antiquities as they have accumulated - none of the buildings will ever leave the 'country'...

Å99

a reply to: DISRAELI

Not quite up to conspiracy theory standards, but important enough not to be ignored in the political world.

I would argue that the Vatican's political power in Central and South America is conspiracy worthy. Even this Pope, Francis, has curious connections to questionable governmental practices, baby stealing and human trafficking, in Argentina's Junta War.

a reply to: akushla99

Perhaps you do not understand the RCC viewpiont on the Vatican, or even how the Vatican came to be a micro state. - Mussolini signed it into existence in 1929

The Lateran Pacts signed by Mussolini on 11 February 1929, had three parts: a political treaty (giving the Vatican its own micro-state), a financial convention (giving the Vatican reparations) and a concordat (giving privileges within Italy, for instance by letting the Church influence public education). In return for all of this Mussolini received Vatican recognition of the Kingdom of Italy — of which he happened to be the dictator. Through the Lateran Pacts, as a contemporary account noted, “Mussolini has achieved a great diplomatic success, perhaps the greatest of his career.”

Before that the Pope had States that divided Italy into three

Until 1860 Pope Pius IX ruled over his Papal States which stretched across the Italian peninsula, dividing it in two. The following year, when urged to accept a peaceful settlement to avoid an armed assault he indignantly refused. Even after the Pope’s subjects voted overwhelmingly to join Italy, he remained adamant: “This corner of the earth is mine; I received it from Christ”. [1]

Full article here

So the wealth and power that the Vatican holds today is just a fraction of what it had 200 years ago. (And so it should be in my opinion)

I'm Catholic myself and I've seen the treasures of the Vatican in the Museum - they are a collection of works to be shared with humanity and should not be sold off to private collectors who will lock them away from the world. At least now one can pay an entry fee and visit them.

There are other Museums in Rome, I apologize that I can't remember the name of them but one of them is a Fort and they have equally valuable treasures that the Pope signed away in 1929. If you ever get to Rome, do a historical tour of the Vatican, they tell you all of this

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: akushla99

Perhaps you do not understand the RCC viewpiont on the Vatican, or even how the Vatican came to be a micro state. - Mussolini signed it into existence in 1929

The Lateran Pacts signed by Mussolini on 11 February 1929, had three parts: a political treaty (giving the Vatican its own micro-state), a financial convention (giving the Vatican reparations) and a concordat (giving privileges within Italy, for instance by letting the Church influence public education). In return for all of this Mussolini received Vatican recognition of the Kingdom of Italy — of which he happened to be the dictator. Through the Lateran Pacts, as a contemporary account noted, “Mussolini has achieved a great diplomatic success, perhaps the greatest of his career.”

Before that the Pope had States that divided Italy into three

Until 1860 Pope Pius IX ruled over his Papal States which stretched across the Italian peninsula, dividing it in two. The following year, when urged to accept a peaceful settlement to avoid an armed assault he indignantly refused. Even after the Pope’s subjects voted overwhelmingly to join Italy, he remained adamant: “This corner of the earth is mine; I received it from Christ”. [1]

So the wealth and power that the Vatican holds today is just a fraction of what it had 200 years ago. (And so it should be in my opinion)

I'm Catholic myself and I've seen the treasures of the Vatican in the Museum - they are a collection of works to be shared with humanity and should not be sold off to private collectors who will lock them away from the world. At least now one can pay an entry fee and visit them.

There are other Museums in Rome, I spologise I can't remember the name of them but one of them is a Fort that have equally valuable treasures that the Pope signed away in 1929. If you ever get to Rome, do a historical tour of the Vatican, they tell you all of this

Understood.

If you owned a building with a Michaelangelo painted onto it...its value would only ever...increase...

...but if you owned a building that was designed, built and decorated by historys most notable artists...its nominal value is completely uncountable, and those buildings cannot be packed into a foam crate and transported to another 'country'...

Å99

a reply to: akushla99

The buildings of the Vatican are just that - buildings.

i.e. Michelangelo was paid to paint the Sistine chapel at the time he did the work. He was considered a good artist at the time and somewhat of a pain in the butt as well.

Time and many generations have judged his works to be masterpieces, but when they were done it was just painting the inside of a chapel, like is done in most churches.

PS, did you know that Michelangelo did not like the Pope or the church and painted many insults into it? For Example if one looks up at where the Pope would have when he was using the church there is an image of God's butt

originally posted by: markosity1973
a reply to: akushla99

The buildings of the Vatican are just that - buildings.

i.e. Michelangelo was paid to paint the Sistine chapel at the time he did the work. He was considered a good artist at the time and somewhat of a pain in the butt as well.

Time and many generations have judged his works to be masterpieces, but when they were done it was just painting the inside of a chapel, like is done in most churches.

PS, did you know that Michelangelo did not like the Pope or the church and painted many insults into it? For Example if one looks up at where the Pope would have when he was using the church there is an image of God's butt

Hahaha...quite!

Mikey was a naughty boy 😊

Sold at Christies in 2000 - The Risen Christ - 12.3 million - a drawing! by one of the artists featured...Mikey...

Å99

There are an estimated 1.2 billion Catholics in the world. They believe that the Pope is the Vicar of Christ and pastor of the entire Christian Church. He can exercise his power without hindrance, and "the Pope enjoys, by divine institution, supreme, full, immediate, and universal power in the care of souls".

Papal Supremacy

Mafia organizations are largely Catholic in regions like Mexico, the US, and Italy. It is even said that the Vatican has its own mafia.

If the Pope can forgive the sins of drug lords, murderers, fraudsters, money-launderers, extortionists, and other criminal activities, and can make a promise to you regarding the care of your soul, can you imagine the power and wealth of that man!!!!?

What would you pay a bonafide Pope to guarantee your soul a place in heaven?!......and then go on about your illegal and/or murderous ways?

The Pope himself could probably order anything be done, then have the power to forgive it and a universal power to care for your soul afterword.

People used to pay (and probably still do) Big Bucks to make sure they got out of purgatory.

Vatican offers 'time off purgatory' to followers of Pope Francis tweets

you are kidding, right
a reply to: queenofswords

This is how powerful they are. It was "Gods army" the Knights Templers who invented modern banking.

All roads lead to the Vatican.

Maybe it's just a coincidence ARMY is an anagram of MARY?

files.abovetopsecret.com...

Don't be fooled.

The Vatican controls Muslims because Muslims believe the same book as Christians. Plus the Muslim country's are controlled by the Royal family's that own there country's and the Vatican makes you a royal. No one else can.

The Vatican has had a global plan since the day it was incepted.

There is NO spirituality in the Vatican. Only science, power, wealth and control.