Vatican Secret Archives

The Latest

Documents from the Pontificate of Pius XII released by the Vatican Apostolic Archive.

Pope Francis appoints new prefect of Vatican archives

Jul 6, 2024

By Courtney Mares

The Vatican Apostolic Archive contains 53 miles of shelving preserving documentation preserving important documents for the Church dating to the... Read more

Documents from the Pontificate of Pius XII released by the Vatican Apostolic Archive.

Scholar hopes Vatican archives will give 'fuller, transparent' picture of Pius XII

Mar 15, 2020

By Christine Rousselle

A researcher from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum told CNA that she hopes the recent opening of the Pius... Read more

The dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Francis changes name of secret archive to Vatican Apostolic Archive

Oct 28, 2019

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis declared Monday that the Vatican Secret Archive be changed to the title of Vatican Apostolic Archive, to avoid... Read more

Hitler.

Vatican to open WWII secret archives of Pope Pius XII

Mar 4, 2019

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis announced Monday that the Vatican will open its archives on the pontificate of Pope Pius XII. Confidential files... Read more

One of the texts collected by Fr. Marega.

The story of Japan's hidden Christians emerges from the Vatican archives

Sep 17, 2015

Collected by a Salesian missionary to Japan in the early 20th century, letters and documents showing the history of Christians... Read more

Galileo Galilei's signature in one of the Lux in Arcana displays.

New exhibit reveals Vatican Secret Archive documents to public

Feb 29, 2012

For the first time in history, the Vatican is making public over 100 historical documents from its Secret Archives.  Read more

Latest news

St. John’s Cathedral in the Netherlands is lit up for Red Wednesday on Nov. 23, 2022.

Churches around the world lit up red in honor of persecuted Christians

Despite an online petition posted to change.org in mid-October that garnered over 53,000 signatures in protest of the evergreen to be used for the Vatican Christmas tree being chopped down, the tree arrived as scheduled in St. Peter’s Square at 7 a.m. on Nov. 21, 2024.

Vatican Christmas tree wreathed in controversy over environmental objections

Father Max Josef Metzger, a Catholic priest executed by the Nazi regime in 1944 for his peace activism and ecumenical work, was beatified Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Freiburg, Germany.

Church beatifies German priest who was executed by Nazis in 1944

Cardinal Kevin Farrell celebrates Mass for the World Meeting of Families 2022 on June 25, 2022.

Pope Francis assigns U.S. cardinal to carry out ‘urgent’ overhaul of Vatican pension fund

“In Jesus there is no contradiction between truth and charity,” notes professor Marta Rodríguez Díaz, who teaches in the philosophy department of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.

Gender: The problem isn’t the term but the anthropology behind it, Catholic expert says

“We think of these stories of saints that have withstood all this persecution as belonging to the Middle Ages,” said Bill McGurn, godfather of Jimmy Lai. “It’s going on right now, and we can see it.”

Jimmy Lai’s godfather assesses trial: ‘He’s a real champion of freedom’

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Wyoming governor pledges to appeal after judge blocks state pro-life laws

Alessandro Allori, “The Presentation of Mary,” 1598.

What do we know about the presentation of Mary?

Archbishop Philip Anyolo of the Nairobi Archdiocese in Kenya.

Nairobi archbishop declines Kenyan president’s donations to Catholic parish

Jimmy Lai’s wife, Teresa (left), and retired Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun arrive at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts to attend Hong Kong activist publisher Lai’s national security trial in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024.

Jimmy Lai takes the stand in yearslong Hong Kong national security trial

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