Vatican as an Intriguing Novel

What to Expect

The Vatican: How It All Works
Following the route, you will learn about the smallest country in the world, uncovering secrets, contradictions, and curious facts that permeate the history of the conclave state. Immerse yourself in the stories of popes, delving into the Vatican's structure in the past and present. I will tell you about the papal election procedure, the shortest and longest pontificates, the deposition of popes from the throne, the ceremonies of beatification, and the canonization of popes.

The Most 'Star-Studded' Popes
The lives of Roman popes and some saints can boldly be compared to the lives of stars - you will learn about the colorful plots in papal history. Stories await you about accidental popes, antipopes, simultaneous reigns of 2-3 popes, the deposition of Roman pontiffs from the throne, and details from the lives of popes. I will also tell you about popes who became 'misfortunes for the Catholic Church,' those whose sanctity was, to say the least, questionable - there were about ten of them!

Behind-the-Scenes Intrigues and Passions of the Holy See
The ancient walls of the sacred Vatican have witnessed not only the light of faith and hope. Here, there was room for lies, betrayal, envy, indifference, cunning, pride, intolerance, and greed. Despite the apparent spirituality, passions boiled and intrigues weaved here, and I will tell you about the most interesting ones. Terrifying legends await you, tales of the punishing hand of the Inquisition, about the founder of the Roman apostolic community, Apostle Peter, and the location of his tomb. And of course, the most amazing and at the same time sad story of a woman on the papal throne.

The Vatican and Art
I will tell you about the masterpieces of St. Peter's Basilica from the perspective of papal authority, its power and might, largely thanks to which we see the Eternal Rome that grew out of ancient Rome. You will learn about when and how popes patronized ingenious artists, sculptors, and architects, and admire their creations.

The Salvation Path to Castel Sant'Angelo
We will head towards Castel Sant'Angelo: either along the Passetto - a fortified corridor connecting the castle to the Vatican, or along Via della Conciliazione. Whichever path you take, stories about Sant'Angelo await you, as the official residence of several Roman popes and a place that has saved them more than once, along with other fascinating pages from the life of this silent witness of centuries-old history.