The Vatican Secret Archives

As the last blog on my Research assignment, I’ve chosen the “Vatican Secret Archives” that although not considered a part of the Vatican Library, they are intimately related and are considered as important and relevant to the catholic faith as all the other documents archived in the Vatican Library. Important to note that the word “secret” doesn’t have the connotation currently given to this word, and rather indicates that these archives are the Pope’s personal property, not belonging any other person or department of the Roman Curia or Holy See.

The Vatican Secret Archives  have a vast collections of books and historical material with approximately 84 Kms of shelving and over 35,000 volumes in the catalogues with the oldest document, according to the Website of the Archives, dating back to the eight century. 

The Archives are physically located near the Vatican Library and the entrance is adjacent to the library through the Porta di S. Anna. Access to the archives is very restricted for the purposes of accessing the information there is no generic browsing,  and researchers must ask for the precise document they wish to see, identifying it either by consulting the indices and must be granted an expressed written permission authorized by a ranking prelate for perusement. Even then, not many requests are granted entrance as the application process is long and rigorous.

According to Wikipedia Vatican Secret Archives article, The Vatican Secret Archives (Latin: Archivum Secretum Vaticanum), located in Vatican City, is the central repository for all of the acts promulgated by the Holy See. The Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, having primal incumbency until death, owns the archives until the next appointed Papal successor. The archives also contain the state papers, correspondence, papal account books,[1] and many other documents which the church has accumulated over the centuries. In the 17th century, under the orders of Pope Paul V, the Secret Archives were separated from the Vatican Library, where scholars had some very limited access to them, and remained absolutely closed to outsiders until 1881, when Pope Leo XIII opened them to researchers, of whom now more than a thousand examine its documents each year. (1)

After centuries of being kept under lock and key, in the year 2010 and in response to the controversy generated by Dan Brown’s DaVinci Code, , the Vatican opened its Secret Archives to select groups of journalists and members of the public, allowing them access to areas that were previously restricted to academic researchers .

The Vatican archives building occupies a large area of the Apostolic Palace with reading and storage areas built over the years, and which include the  so-called Piano Nobile of the Palace containing the Chigi Rooms and the splendid rooms in the Tower of Winds. There is also the Bunker, built under the Cortile della Pigna of the Vatican Museums to house most of the documentary heritage of the Archives and the Reading Rooms used by researchers from all over the world. (2)

There is no doubt that the Vatican Secret Archives is a worthy complement to the Vatican Library and which combined are one of the largest, is not the largest, and most precious collection of books and catholic heritage.

References

(1)Wikipedia, Vatican Secret Archives, viewed on 23 October 2011,

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_Secret_Archives>

(2) Vatican Secret Archives Web Site,  viewed on 23 October 2011

<http://www.archiviosegretovaticano.va/en/archivio/>

(3) Squires, N 2010, “Vatican Reveal Secret Archives”, The Telegraph, viewed on 24 October 2010,   <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/6917990/Vatican-reveals-Secret-Archives.html>

(4) You Tube, The Vatican Secret Archives, Viewed on 23 October 2011,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7i_9TC-jvI

(5) Squires, N 2010, “The Vatican opens its Secret Archives to dispel Dan Brown myths”, The Telegraph, viewed on 24 October 2010,

<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/vaticancityandholysee/7772108/The-Vatican-opens-its-Secret-Archives-to-dispel-Dan-Brown-myths.html>