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October 28, 2019

Pope Francis renames the Vatican 'Secret' Archives

Wax seals of members of the English House of Lords are seen March 1, 2012, on a letter from the Vatican Secret Archives. Citing the negative misinterpretations that the word "secret" implies, Pope Francis has changed the name of the archives to the Vatican Apostolic Archives.

VATICAN CITY -- Citing the negative misinterpretations that the word "secret" implies, Pope Francis has changed the name of the Vatican Secret Archives to the Vatican Apostolic Archives.

Published in Vatican
March 14, 2019

Editorial: The truth is near

Pope Pius XII, who led the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958, is pictured in this undated photo at the Vatican. Pope Francis announced March 4 that all the documents on Pope Pius in the Vatican Secret Archives will be made available to researchers starting March 2, 2020.

One of the most contentious debates involving Church figures of the 20th century involves the actions of Pope Pius XII during World War II. 

Published in Editorial
March 4, 2019

Pope opens up WWII, Pope Pius XII documents in Vatican Secret Archives

Pope Pius XII is pictured at the Vatican in a file photo dated March 15, 1949.
VATICAN – Declaring that the Catholic Church is unafraid of history, Pope Francis announced that documents in the Vatican Secret Archives relating to the wartime pontificate of Pope Pius XII will be open to scholars in 2020.
Published in International
March 1, 2012

Vatican Secret Archives marks 400th anniversary with Rome exhibit

The signature of astronomer Galileo Galilei from the records of his trial is seen on a document in the Vatican Secret Archives. It is among the items being displayed in the exhibit "Lux in Arcana," which runs until Sept. 9 at Rome's Capitoline Museum.

ROME - Working with the city of Rome, the Vatican Secret Archives is celebrating its 400th anniversary with an exhibit designed to shed light not only on its holdings, but on some of the myth and mystery surrounding its collection of millions of documents.

"Lux in Arcana: The Vatican Secret Archives Reveals Itself" opened at Rome's Capitoline Museum Feb. 29 and is scheduled to remain open until Sept. 9.

Vatican archives' officials and exhibit curators said about a hundred original documents are being displayed outside the Vatican for the first time.

Published in Arts News