The Vatican's governing body and sovereign juridical entity for the Catholic Church
The monarchy remains under public and parliamentary scrutiny as new royal accounts disclose how much tax the King has paid and how royal funds are allocated. The Sovereign Grant, Duchy of Lancaster income, and private assets are outlined, with transparency urged amid ongoing questions about deductibles and private wealth.
The Vatican Museums have launched a five-year, $5.5 million restoration project for the Raphael Loggia, a pinnacle of Renaissance figurative art. The effort, supported by the World Monuments Fund and funded by the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation, will use laser cleaning and new sun-filtering glass as part of a broader preservation plan.
The Vatican has appointed Italian economist Alessandra Smerilli as head of the office for migrants, environment and development, succeeding Cardinal Michael Czerny. Cardinal Fabio Baggio is named pro-prefect alongside her. The move follows Pope Francis’ push to elevate women in the Holy See’s leadership, while traditionalists push back on further reforms.
The Vatican has excommunicated four SSPX bishops and several priests for unauthorised ordinations, warning the faithful that adherence to the Society constitutes schism. The move escalates a long-running standoff with the traditionalist group and heightens tensions around Vatican II reforms and relations with Jews and other faiths.
SSPX plans to consecrate four bishops in Econe, Switzerland, defying a papal warning. The ceremony, timed to mark the 38th anniversary of a prior excommunication, has drawn international attention and raised questions about canon law, schism risks, and papal concessions made in the past.