Vatican Apostolic Archive

The Holy See’s central archive preserves documents produced by popes and papal offices across centuries. Formerly called the Vatican Secret Archive, it was renamed in 2019.

Holy See: The sovereign entity governing the Catholic Church and maintaining diplomatic relations with states. The archive preserves records generated by this governing institution.
Pope Paul V: The pope who governed the Catholic Church from 1605 to 1621. His pontificate saw the archive’s establishment as a distinct institution in 1612.
Historical research: The systematic investigation of the past through evidence and interpretation. Scholars use the archive’s records to investigate political, religious, and social history.
Pope Pius XII: The pope who led the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958. The opening of records from his pontificate intensified debate about the Vatican during World War II.
Roman Curia: The administrative institutions that assist the pope in governing the Catholic Church. Its offices produced many records now held in the archive.
Vatican Secret Archive: The former name of the Vatican Apostolic Archive, used until 2019. The name’s change clarified that “secret” meant private or papal, not inherently hidden.
Papal conclave: The gathering of cardinals that elects a pope. Archival records illuminate the procedures and political contexts of past elections.
The Holocaust: The systematic murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II. Researchers examine wartime Vatican records for evidence about knowledge, diplomacy, and responses.
Papal chancery: The office responsible for issuing and authenticating official papal documents. Its documentary output forms a major part of the archive’s holdings.
Papal bull: A formal papal document issued under a lead seal, or bulla. Bulls are among the historic document types preserved in the archive.

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