The papal flag -- the pope's flag --- the Vatican City State flag flies over Vatican territory. Yellow and white are the papal colours. The Vatican Coat of Arms is in the white section of the flag. click
EXCELENT SOURCE FOR FAITH DEVELOPMENT
Monsignor Alfred Culmer, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Nassau, stands next to a Vatican owned automobile bearing SCV plates. SCV is the abbreviation for Stato Citta Vaticano [Vatican City State]
Deacons wear their stoles diagonally from their left shoulder. Deacons also wear a distinctive outer vestment with sleves called a dalamatic.
A member of the papal Swiss Guards. For over 500 years they have been protecting the popes. They are a highly trained military force. Their uniforms were designed by Michelangelo.
The pope lives here in Vatican City State which is dominated by St Peter's Basilica, built over the tomb of St Peter. From the Vatican territory - an independent country - the pope governs and directs the work and mission of the Catholic Church. The Vatican State is surrounded by the Italian city of Rome. The pope is bishop of Rome and the successor to St Peter who was Rome's first bishop. The title "pope" means "father".
For liturgical services bishops wear a mitre, symbol of the episcopal office.
BASIC QUESTIONS CLICK
MORE INFORMATION HERE ON MANY TOPICS CLICK
ANOTHER SOURCE OF INFORMATION CLICK
THE POPE
The title "pope" simply means "father". The pope is the spiritual father of Catholics everywhere. He is the pastor of the universal church.
The pope is the Bishop of Rome. This is perhaps his most important title. The first bishop of Rome was St Peter and upon his death the Christians of Rome chose a successor to Peter.....and that has happened for nearly 2000 years -- an unbroken line of bishops of Rome....right down to the current bishop of Rome who is the successor of St Peter as "bishop of Rome" and thus pope.
The pope is Peter's successor as head of the Church.
The pope, who is Bishop of Rome, is the focus of our unity as Catholic believers. He guards and defends the Faith as it has been handed down from Apostolic times. He strengthens and confirms us in the Faith.
The pope is also the sovereign of Vatican City State which is a small independent territory within the city of Rome. The Vatican is its own country with a flag, anthem and a small army (Swiss Guard). It grants its own citizenship, issues passports, mints its own coinage, prints postage stamps and licence plates. And the Vatican exchanges ambassadors with over 150 countries. The Vatican is also represented at the United Nations. The pope then is also a Head of State.
He also confers honours, knighthoods and noble titles, although sparingly.
It is in the Vatican City State that the headquarters of the Catholic Church is found. And because it is within the borders of its own state, the church is free to exercise its ministry around the world without interference from other governments.
CLICK
CLICK Video on the Vatican City
RICK STEVES' TOURS CLICK
BISHOPS
Catholic bishops are successors of the original apostles. They do today what the apostles and early bishops did. They guard the faith, pass it on and care for souls entrusted to their care. The apostles handed on their role and authority, which they received from Jesus, through ordination and the laying on of hands, to others who would succeed them as overseers of the apostolic faith -- as bishops, through the centuries to our own day. So, a Catholic bishop can trace his authority right back to the original Apostles. And of course the pope is a bishop too. This is called apostolic succession -- succeeding from the apostles.
Bishops celebrate and confer all of the sacraments.
PRIESTS
A Catholic priest shares in the bishop's apostolic succession and through his ordination is able to assist the bishop in the spiritual and sacramental life of the church. A priest, through ordination by the bishop, can celebrate all the sacraments except Holy Orders. He can, but is limited, in his authority to confer confirmation.
The priest celebrates the Holy Sacrifice of The Mass and can also forgive sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation as he acts in the very person of Christ.
In the very early church there were no priests but only bishops. And the bishops did all of these things. But, as the church quickly grew in size the bishops needed helpers to fulfill this role. Hence, men were ordained priests to perform much of what the bishops were doing for the greater care of souls.
DEACONS
The order of deacons existed before the order of priests. The deacons were ordained to assist the bishop in administrative matters and to care for the everyday needs of the community. Today, deacons remain closely associated with their bishop and they are ordained to a ministry of service. Deacons can preach, teach, celebrate marriages and baptisms and assist the priests and the bishop in any number of ways. Deacons cannot celebrate Mass, hear confessions or anoint the sick. Deacons, like priests and bishops are ordained to their role and are members of the clergy. A deacon is not a layperson. The Sacrament of Holy Orders confers three ranks -- bishop, priest and deacon. To be a priest or bishop a man must first be ordained a deacon.
WHAT IS "HOLY ORDERS" CLICK
Vatican City is an independent sovereign state surrounded by the city of Rome. It is from this independent territory that the pope governs and directs the Catholic Church without any interference from other powers or governments. This governing authority is recognised in international law as a juridic personality and as a sovereign entity. It is called the Holy See. The pope is a Head of State.
The Holy Father also exchanges ambassadors with over 150 countries from around the world and the Holy See is represented at the United Nations. The Vatican State has its own citizenship, post office, passports, police and security services including a small army, the Swiss Guard, it prints its own money, operates TV and radio stations, has its own newspaper even its own vehicle licence plates --and its own internet domain .va
Vatican City in Rome: St Peter's Basilica