Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty ImagesSaturday's release by the Vatican of information regarding its real estate holdings revealed that it has more than 5,100 properties mainly in Italy.This publication is one of the most comprehensive disclosures of Vatican assets. It includes 4,051 properties from Italy and 1,120 overseas, but not the Vatican embassies.This information was published in two documents that totaled more than 50 pages of financial records. It included a 2020 consolidated financial report and the first-ever public record of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, which manages the Church's investments, payroll, and real estate.According to records, APSA has investment properties in upscale areas in Paris, Geneva, and Lausanne as well as London. In London, the purchase of a property in South Kensington resulted in huge losses in 2014.This information was made public ahead of a Tuesday trial that will examine the purchase of the London property from the Vatican Secretariat of State.Ten people are being tried, including Cardinal Angelo Becciu. Some are facing charges of embezzlement and money laundering, fraud, extortion, and abuse of office.The majority of Vatican properties in Italy can be rented at a reduced rate to staff. According to Reuters, 40% are institutions such as convents and schools, while the rest is hospitals and schools.These documents also reveal that the Roman Curia (the central administration of the Catholic Churches) ran up a deficit in 2020 of 64.8 millions. According to reports, Vatican officials blamed the coronavirus pandemic on the negative financial impact.
