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During four years in session, Vatican Council II held television audiences rapt with its elegant, magnificently choreographed public ceremonies, while its debates generated front-page news on a near-weekly basis. By virtually any assessment, it was the most important religious event of the twentieth century, with repercussions that reached far beyond the Catholic church. Remarkably enough, this is the first book, solidly based on official documentation, to give a brief, readable account of the council from the moment Pope John XXIII announced it on January 25, 1959, until its conclusion on December 8, 1965; and to locate the issues that emerge in this narrative in their contexts, large and small, historical and theological, thereby providing keys for grasping what the council hoped to accomplish.

What Happened at Vatican II captures the drama of the council, depicting the colorful characters involved and their clashes with one another. The book also offers a new set of interpretive categories for understanding the council’s dynamics—categories that move beyond the tired “progressive” and “conservative” labels. As we approach the fiftieth anniversary of the calling of the council, this work reveals in a new way the spirit of Vatican II. A reliable, even-handed introduction to the council, the book is a critical resource for understanding the Catholic church today, including the pontificate of Benedict XVI.

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Five hundred years ago Michelangelo began work on a painting that became one of the most famous pieces of art in the world—the Sistine Chapel ceiling Every year millions of people come to see Michelangelo's Sistine ceiling, which is the largest fresco painting on earth in the holiest of Christianity's chapels; yet there is not one single Christian image in this vast, magnificent artwork.

The Sistine Secrets tells the fascinating story of how Michelangelo embedded messages of brotherhood, tolerance, and freethinking in his painting to encourage "fellow travelers" to challenge the repressive Roman Catholic Church of his time.

"Driven by the truths he had come to recognize during his years of study in private nontraditional schooling in Florence, truths rooted in his involvement with Judaic texts as well as Kabbalistic training that conflicted with approved Christian doctrine, Michelangelo needed to find a way to let viewers discern what he truly believed. He could not allow the Church to forever silence his soul. And what the Church would not permit him to communicate openly, he ingeniously found a way to convey to those diligent enough to learn his secret language."—from the Preface

Blech and Doliner reveal what Michelangelo meant in the angelic representations that brilliantly mocked his papal patron, how he managed to sneak unorthodox heresies into his ostensibly pious portrayals, and how he was able to fulfill his lifelong ambition to bridge the wisdom of science with the strictures of faith. The Sistine Secrets unearths secrets that have remained hidden in plain sight for centuries.

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Written by a Vatican insider and accomplished church historian, this book is a unique behind-the-scenes look at the world's smallest nation and the spiritual center of the Catholic Church. Produced with the full cooperation of the Vatican, this is a beautifully illustrated insiders guide into the 2,000 year long history of the Vatican and papal influence, daily life and governance of the world's largest religious body, and the art collections and other priceless treasures rarely seen by the public. In addition to a unique photographic tour, the book includes personal interviews with various Vatican employees and insiders who make their home there, from a Swiss Guard to a singer in the Sistine Chapel choir. This book is an unparalleled look into life inside the Holy City.

A Conversation with Father Michael Collins, Author of The Vatican

You are a former Vatican guide. How did you first become directly involved in the Eternal City?

When I was 18, I began to spend my summers as a guide in St. Peter’s Basilica. For the next six years I spent three months each summer accompanying tourists and pilgrims from all over the world around the Basilica. It was a wonderful experience and I enjoyed meeting people from all sorts of religious and cultural backgrounds.

Can you briefly speak to what daily life is like in the Vatican? How many people permanently reside there; is there a constant parade of pageantry; etc.?

There is an anecdote about Pope John XXIII. On one occasion an ambassador asked him how many people worked at the Vatican. He paused and thought for a few moments before answering “I think about half of them!”

The number of people residing at any one time in the Vatican fluctuates. There are roughly 400 people. These of course include the Pope but also Swiss Guards, security personnel, medical staff, clergy and religious brothers and sisters. Although many people are fascinated by the pageantry when there is a big religious ceremony, behind-the-scenes life is quite ordinary. I tried in this book to give a balance between the formally glitzy side and the ordinary day-to-day life of the citizens.

You spent six summers as a guide in St. Peter’s Basilica. What do you find most interesting about being a church historian?

I love the stories that are more amazing than fiction. The popes have had an extraordinary effect on history. They launched the Crusades, the Inquisition and in a certain sense the Reformation. At least one pope was mad and had the body of his predecessor disinterred and thrown in the River Tiber. Pope Alexander divided the New World between the Spanish and the Portuguese in the early 16th century. That is why Brazilians speak Portuguese and the rest of Latin Americans speak Spanish. Another Pope tried to stop Galileo’s amazing discovery of the earth revolving around the sun. Throughout The Vatican, I have shaped a brief bird’s eye view of the popes and their influences on history.

The Vatican Museums house one of the greatest art collections in the world. Why is it important for the city to hold onto these pieces, instead of say, to sell the works and give the profits to those in need?

Many people say that the Vatican should sell off the treasures. There is a lot to be said for that idea. The problem is why disperse the unique collection which is available to people who come to Rome? The collection, which is several hundreds of years old, would be bought by private individuals and other museums. It would not be so easily available to the thousands which can visit the museums each day. Also, most of the artifacts are buildings and architectural sites which cannot be sold for practical reasons.

The Church is a spiritual family and proudly safeguards its family heirlooms like any family treasures items passed down lovingly from one generation to the next. The artists believed in the spirituality which inspired their works so that is why we revere and care for them. They don’t go up for auction as soon as the artist dies.

It is worth remembering also that the Catholic Church is one of the foremost charitable agencies in the world which looks after the poor and sick as well as offering education to millions.

In your opinion, what is the most interesting or unique position of employment held within the city limits?

A difficult question. I suppose it really has to be that of the Pope. He is an extraordinary combination of a man of prayer, a politician, a teacher, a leader and an ordinary human being. The popes have varied in quality. Some have been pretty bad while some have been saints. I have great regard for Pope Benedict, who has proved himself to be a lot less controversial than Pope John Paul and has earned the affection and respect of many, Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

Does the pope ever get a vacation? What is the atmosphere like during the holiday seasons?

There is a saying only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. During July and August, most Romans, and consequently Vatican employees, clear out of sizzling Rome for the hills or the sea. Even the Pope withdraws to his country residence for two months outside Rome although he continues work as normal. He receives important visitors and carries on his schedule as he does at the Vatican. Christmas and Easter are the most important holidays and thousands flock to St. Peter’s to receive the pope’s blessing Urbi et Orbi—to the City and the World.

The city holds 2,000 years of history under its veil. What is an important piece of the story that is rarely mentioned or remembered?

Most people who walk into St. Peter’s do not realize that they are crossing over an underground cemetery. There is a patch of fresco dating from about the second century with a Greek inscription Petros eni--Peter is here. This is close by the presumed tomb of St. Peter. In 1939, workmen preparing a tomb of Pope Pius XI found the entrance to the tomb. They found most of a man’s skeleton. Beside it was also the skeleton of a mouse which must have got into the tomb at some time and been unable to get out. It evidently died there.

The architecture in the Vatican is second to none. Is there a certain building that holds special meaning for you?

My favorite is also the most famous, the Sistine Chapel, built at the end of the 15th century. It has wonderful frescos by early Renaissance painters, Perugino, Peruzzi, Ghirlandaio and Michelangelo. Just think, it is exactly 500 years ago this year since Michelangelo painted the marvelous ceiling. I love to go in there in the late evening when all the visitors have left for their homes or hotels and just spend literally hours looking at the frescos. They are so majestic and awe- inspiring.

What is your personal relationship with the city today? As a Dubliner, do you spent much time visiting Italy?

I am very lucky. I spent seven years both studying and teaching in Rome. That was a great experience. Rome is only two and a half hours away by plane so it is not far. I have a lot of friends there and I love to visit. I also am often asked to accompany tours, which gives me another opportunity to return.

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This lavishly illustrated guide through the Vatican captures the people, the treasures, and the inner workings of the center of the Roman Catholic Church. Bart McDowell takes readers through centuries of Vatican history, describing the days of the Roman Empire, the glorious years of the Renaissance, the power struggle between Church and State that endured from the late 7th century until 1929, and much more. Since the center of the Roman Catholic Church is also the world's smallest nation, McDowell explains religious matters, such as the process of canonization, and governmental operations of the Vatican-highlighted by a visit with Pope John Paul II as he attends to his many daily duties. Photographer James L. Stanfield spent nearly a year inside the Vatican with unprecedented access to its museums, ceremonies, and people. His full-color photographs show art that few visitors to the Vatican have the chance to see-works of such masters as Michelangelo and Raphael-and provide private viewings of Pope John Paul II's quarters, the necropolis beneath St. Peter's Basilica, and world-renowned libraries. Through these beautiful and exclusive photographs and the revealing text that accompanies them, Inside the Vatican celebrates a small, dynamic community unique in the world..
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Spy Thriller Action Adventure An ancient secret society The Vatican The lost tomb of Jesus--the King of Kings And an ancient scroll that unlocks the secret of the Goddess . CODIS-the FBI's Combined DNA Index System-has found a match. A link between the past and present. Between a royal bloodline and the world's foremost terrorist. On the anniversary of their downfall at the hands of the papacy, the Knights Templar vow revenge. The ultimate spies and the ultimate threat: Reunited lovers brought together by fate, Italian-born OSI agent Nick Rossi and beautiful Mossad agent, Josie Schulman, battle an al-Qaeda orchestrated wave of terrorist attacks directed against Rome, the Vatican, and the newly elected Pope. But the investigation means plunging into Rossi's own past and into the arms of Bast, the alluring stranger, who may be his downfall. The ultimate secret: Beneath the Dome of the Rock, in Solomon's Temple, an ancient scroll is found. It unlocks the Holy See's brutally suppressed truth concerning the divine feminine, Mary Magdalene's true identity and role-and the location of history's most important tomb. The ultimate deception: As world leaders converge on Rome for the Pope's funeral, Rossi and Josie race against time and follow a cryptic trail of symbols hidden within German Renaissance paintings: the keys to a mystery that points to a secret Masonic nexus of power, the secrets of the Widow's Son. What would you do for love? What would you do for honor and country? Two strong-willed women find themselves at opposing sides of a struggle for power. Josie a Mossad agent, who is battle weary and disillusioned, and the other-Bast a notorious al-Qaeda operative. But they share three things in common: they seek revenge for the murder of family members, and they both seek love and meaning in their lonesome existence. The third thing they share is the affection of the same man. The man is Nick Rossi intelligence operative stationed in Rome. Rossi seeks the advice of his uncle Professor Giovanni, a man versed in history and the schemes of secret societies. Together they must solve a riddle, clues left by a Masonic Nexus that has infiltrated the Vatican. Rossi knows that his uncle's and even the Pope's life depends upon his actions. And time is running out. Behind the veil of enigma lies the Eschatology Institute, a New Age pop culture Church, complete with Hollywood celebrity spokespersons, secret oaths, and dark agendas. Its leader is on a mad power trip and will kill anyone who stands in his way. And his sights are set on the Vatican.
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In 1508, despite strong advice to the contrary, the powerful Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the newly restored Sistine Chapel. With little experience as a painter (though famed for his sculpture David), Michelangelo was reluctant to begin the massive project.

Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling recounts the four extraordinary years Michelangelo spent laboring over the vast ceiling while the power politics and personal rivalries that abounded in Rome swirled around him. Battling against ill health, financial difficulties, domestic problems, the pope's impatience, and a bitter rivalry with the brilliant young painter Raphael, Michelangelo created scenes so beautiful that they are considered one of the greatest masterpieces of all time. A panorama of illustrious figures converged around the creation of this great work-from the great Dutch scholar Desiderius Erasmus to the young Martin Luther-and Ross King skillfully weaves them through his compelling historical narrative, offering uncommon insight into the intersection of art and history..
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The sixteen basic documents of Vatican Council II are presented here in a new revised translation reflecting inclusive language, edited by Austin Flannery, O.P..
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In this dramatic journey through religious and artistic history, R. A. Scotti traces the defining event of a glorious epoch: the building of St. Peter’s Basilica. Begun by the ferociously ambitious Pope Julius II in 1506, the endeavor would span two tumultuous centuries, challenge the greatest Renaissance masters—Michelangelo, Raphael, and Bramante—and enrage Martin Luther. By the time it was completed, Shakespeare had written all of his plays, the Mayflower had reached Plymouth—and Rome had risen with its astounding basilica to become Europe’s holy metropolis. A dazzling portrait of human achievement and excess, Basilica is a triumph of historical writing..
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Each volume of the ART & ARCHITECTURE series is opulently illustrated. The highly readable texts give you concentrated information on accessing well and lesser known sites in the world of art. An image of every piece of art that is described is included, allowing readers to easily recognize the original on site. Insets on cultural-historical topics and illustrated glossaries, summaries, and timelines supplement the body text - leaving a deeper, more lasting impression of the material that is covered. Convenient compact format makes these books particularly handy to take along as a guide while viewing the great works featured within..
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