Vatican Secret Archives

The Vatican Secret Archives (Latin: Archivum Secretum Apostolicum Vatican, Italian: Archivio Segreto Vaticano, abbreviated ASV ) is the central repository for all by the Holy See promulgated laws as well as the diplomatic correspondence of the Vatican. The term " secret archive " as a translation of Archivium secretum is misleading, because the term refers to the personal archive of the Pope in delineation of archives of ecclesiastical authorities.

History and Holdings

The archive contains approximately 85 linear kilometers files. Only the ( incomplete) inventoried contents of the archives include 35,000 volumes. "Jewels" of the archive are about letters from Michelangelo, a letter to Henry VIII with the request for annulment of his marriage registration to the excommunication of Martin Luther or the original register of Pope Gregory VII with the " Dictatus Papae ".

The isolated medieval news of papal archives reveal no systematic organization, issued by secular rulers for the popes documents were stored in connection with the papal treasure. These privileges and others for the rights and claims of the Holy See important documents Sixtus IV, who can be regarded as founder of the library, in the Castel Sant'Angelo Archive summarize ( Archivum Arcis, vetus also called Archivum ). Although already had Pius IV plans for a central archive of the curia, but only at the beginning of the 17th century the archive under Paul V. from the Vatican Library was removed as a separate organizational unit and with stocks from the archives of the Apostolic Chamber, at that time the most extensive a papal authority, and extended from the Castel Sant'Angelo archive. The line about the Pope wore his Kardinalnepoten Scipione Borghese Caffarelli, the organizational work completed Michele Lonigo. 1798 the Castel Sant'Angelo archive was combined with the Vatican Archives, after it had been conducted for decades in personal union by the archive prefect.

1810 Napoleon ordered the transfer of the archive to Paris, after the return transport from 1815 to 1817 serious losses were noted. The Roman Republic of 1849, however, hardly affected the archive.

Until the late 19th century, the stocks were kept largely under wraps, which repeatedly made wild speculations about the emplaced document feeder. However, could see individual archives at the request since the beginning of the 17th century, scientists from all over the world. A comprehensive insight into the holdings of the archive has been granted as the first German historian Ludwig von Pastor. He was dependent for his History of the Popes since the end of the Middle Ages sure to consult the Vatican Secret Archives. Although already under Pius IX. Cardinal Jean -Baptiste Pitra submitted a plan to open the archives for the science, but the liberalization of access is to the credit of Leo XIII. , appointed in 1879 Hergenröther prefect and archivist of the Apostolic See ( praeses Vaticano tabularii immersive archivista apostolicae sedis ). Thus, the traditional association of library and archive was interrupted only by Cardinal Gasquet, the 1917 della Santa Sede Archivista, 1919 Bibliotecario di Santa Romana Chiesa and 1920 again for Archivista di SRC was appointed to these offices were again pooled and maintained in the future. In January 1881, the opening of the archives for the users was 1884 Acceptable Use Policy ( regolamento ) was further liberalized. Scientists will have access allows bureaucracy today on presentation of a letter of recommendation from a research institution ( eg university or scientific institute ).

The archive sets, without limitation, its records until 1922, the end of the pontificate of Benedict XV. Before. On 20 February 2002, Pope John Paul II, the documents of the State Secretariat of the time from 1922 to 1939 - but only if they relate to the German Empire - for research free. By decision of Pope Benedict XVI. since September 18, 2006 Finally, all documents of the pontificate of Pope Pius XI. until his death in 1939 available to scientists. It is expected that the cataloging of approximately 16 million pages from the term Pius XII. Will be completed in 2014 or 2015.

In 1968, the Vatican School of paleography, diplomatics and archival system was incorporated into the Vatican Secret Archives.

Cardinal librarians

The Cardinal were librarians since 1609 at the same time archivists of the Holy Roman Church.

Scipione Borghese Caffarelli (1609-1618)
Scipione Cobelluzzi (1618-1626)
Francesco Barberini (1626-1633)
Antonio Barberini (1633-1646)
Orazio Giustiniani (1646-1649)
Luigi Capponi (1649-1659)
Flavio Chigi (1659-1681)
Lorenzo Brancati (1681-1693)
Girolamo Casanate (1693-1700)
Enrico Noris (1700-1704)
Benedetto Pamphili (1704-1730)
Angelo Maria Querini (1730-1755)
Domenico Silvio Passionei (1755-1761)
Alessandro Albani (1761-1779)
Francesco Saverio Zelada (1779-1801)
Luigi Valenti Gonzaga (1802-1808) Under the Napoleonic rule from 1809 to 1814 was responsible for the management of a Consulta straordinaria ( Extraordinary Council )

During the Roman Republic of 1849 a Republican committee took the lead, which held office until 1853

Significant archivists

The curators, later, the prefect, were the real head of the archive.

Baldassare Ansidei, supervisor, his appointment on January 31, 1612 is considered the official start of the Vatican Secret Archives
Giuseppe Garampi, Prefect (1751-1772)
...
Augustin Theiner, Prefect (1855-1870)
...

Angelo Mercati, Prefect (1925-1955)
Martino Giusti, Prefect (1956-1984)
Hermann Hoberg, Vice Prefect (1956-1980)
Josef Metzler, Prefect (1984-1995)
Sergio Pagano, Prefect ( since 1995), Titular Archbishop since 2007

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