Vatican recognizes for the first time that it owns 5,171 properties worldwide

The Vatican has recognized for the first time that it has more than 5,171 properties between Italy and the rest of the world. Of these, 40% are institutional buildings such as convents, hospitals and schools.

The data are in a consolidated financial statement and the first public budget of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Holy See (APSA), in charge of managing them.

The APSA was notably enlarged during the pontificate of Francis. It’s more: as a result of huge corruption scandal and speculation on the purchase of a large building in London, the Argentine pontiff ordered the transfer of control to the APSA of the funds managed by the secretary of state under the tutelage of the Vatican economic secretariat.

Among these funds there are about 450 million euros of the Obolus of San Pedro, which accumulates the gifts that the faithful make each year to the Pope.

At least $ 200 million of this fund formed the nucleus for the purchase of the former Harrods warehouse warehouse in wealthy London’s South Kensinton district.

Next Tuesday will begin the process, strongly desired by the Pope, by the the “non-sanctos” treatment of these funds, which multiplied the losses suffered by the Vatican in the management of funds.

The first defendant in the trial (there are nine others), is Cardinal Angelo Becciu, deposed by the Pope, of which he was a close collaborator. Becciu retains the title of cardinal but cannot participate in the meetings of the council of cardinals, nor can he be present at the future Conclave which will elect the successor of Jorge Bergoglio.

Cardinal Becciu was a substitute for the Secretary of State and later promoted to Prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, until the Pope replaced it with the great financial scandal.

On the other hand, the Vatican announced a deficit in the consolidated accounts of the Holy See of more than 66.3 million euros in 2020. The Vatican dicasteries have a mandate to cut spending.

The use of funds intended for Obolo de San Pedro in real estate speculation This has created some concern in the Roman Curia, the central governing body of the Church, which has at its center the Secretary of State headed by Cardinal Pietro Parolín.

Following the pandemic which punishes the world, the Vatican has made less use of funds from the Obolus of Saint Peter which are used for the “subsistence of the Church” and preferred tap into the money donated by the faithful to help particular churches in countries most affected by the pandemic.