Laurie A. Conley - Where Is the Vatican?

It was a cold, wet day in March 2013. Crowds of Catholics filled a huge square outside the largest church in the world: St. Peters Basilica. More than fifty thousand people had come to find out who would be the next pope.

The answer depended on a vote that was taking place inside a chapel beside the huge church. One hundred fifteen cardinals were locked inside to vote for the new pope. (Cardinals are the most important Catholic priests after the pope.) To be elected pope, one of the cardinals had to receive two-thirds of the votes. The cardinals wrote the name of the person they were voting for on a piece of paper. They kept their votes secret by disguising their handwriting. After being counted, the ballots were burned and smoke drifted up from the chapel.

The results of the votes are always announced to the world in a puff of smoke. White smoke means that a new pope has been elected. Black smoke means that no one has gotten enough votes yet.

On the first day of voting, no one was chosen. Black smoke billowed out of the chapel chimney. The same thing happened the next morningblack smoke. The cardinals would have to vote again.

Rain began to fall. Still, the crowds remained, waiting under umbrellas into the night.

Finally, on the evening of March 13, a plume of white smoke floated up into the air. The crowd burst into joyous cheers. They waved flags from countries all over the world. Then bells began to ring and ring, announcing that a new pope had been chosen.

By the time Pope Francis appeared on the balcony overlooking the square, the rain had stopped. He spoke humbly to the crowds, asking them to pray for him. He knew he had a big job ahead of him.

Being pope meant he would head the Catholic Church, all the world over. As pope, he would also be the leader of a country. It is the smallest country in the world, located entirely inside the city of Rome, Italy.

The country is called Vatican City.

CHAPTER 1

A Safe Place for Christians

How did Vatican City become the smallest country on earth?

The answer lies in the story of Christianity a story that began more than two thousand years ago when Jesus was alive.

The Christian religion is based on the teachings of Jesus and the events of his life. Christian people believe he is the son of God. Jesus was killed by the Romans for his preaching. He was nailed to a cross and left to die. Christians believe he rose from the dead three days later and returned to God in heaven.

Nero

For a long time after that, it wasnt safe to be a Christianespecially in Rome. Rome was the center of power in the ancient Roman Empire. One leader of the empire was Nero. Nero didnt want a new, different religion taking over his world. He wanted everyone to obey him and pray to the Roman gods the way they always had. He killed many Christians.

St. Peter

Peter was one of Jesuss followers. He wouldnt give up his new religion. So he was crucified, too. According to the story, his body was buried right where he died in Rome.

Christians loved and admired Peter for his faith and courage. As time went on, he became known as St. Peter, the first bishop of Rome. A bishop is someone chosen to lead the church.

For the next three hundred years, many Christians were threatened, tortured, and harmed. But an emperor named Constantine took over the Roman Empire in the fourth century. Constantine believed in the Christian religion. He declared that people should be allowed to worship whatever religion they chose.

Constantine donated lands and churches to the Christians. He gave the bishop of Rome a palace to live in, called the Lateran Palace. One of the earliest Christian churches, called St. John Lateran, was built beside the palace. From then on, the bishop of Rome was called the pope, and all the popes were called the bishop of Rome. Pope comes from the word papa, which means father. For the next thousand years, all the popes lived in the Lateran Palace.

Emperor Constantine

Priests, Bishops, Cardinals: Whats the Difference?

Priests are ministers in the Catholic Church. Each priest is usually in charge of just one church, or parish. Bishops are priests who have been chosen by the pope to watch over several churches in a small area called a diocese (say: DYE-uh-sess). An archbishop is in charge of a larger area or a big city, called an archdiocese. Cardinals are bishops who have been appointed for special duties by the pope. The pope appoints the cardinals to give him advice, help run the Vatican, and to choose a new pope when a pope dies or retires.