Vatican City: Papal Power, Secret Walls, and Why It’s a Country

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What does it mean for a religion to run a country? In this episode of French People Arr. Rude, Sean and Brandon dig into how and why the Vatican exists as the world’s smallest country. From Saint Peter’s upside-down crucifixion to Mussolini’s backroom deals, they cover the weird, wild journey from underground religion to global spiritual powerhouse.

You’ll learn why Saint Peter’s Basilica was built over a grave, how a forged document gave the pope an army, and why the Swiss Guards party like it’s 1527. Along the way, we tackle secret archives, monarchic loopholes, papal elections, and what it means when one man holds absolute power—over both a microstate and your afterlife.

It’s part roast, part religion lesson, and full of deep Vatican lore, including who really owns the churches in Rome, what the Holy See actually is, and how the pope doubles as a king. If you’ve ever wondered how a city became a sovereign state, or what the Swiss Guard is doing in a bar at 9:45 PM, this one’s for you.

Stuff We Talk About:

• The death of Saint Peter and Constantine’s prophecy flex

• Papal nepotism and the birth of “the Pope King”

• Mussolini’s Vatican deal and its modern-day impact

• Vatican passports, .va domains, and the world’s smallest jail

• What’s actually inside the Vatican’s Secret Archives

  
  

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