Pope Francis Appoints New Prefect
For the Vatican Apostolic Archive

400th Anniversary of the Vatican Secret Archive Left: Pope Benedict XVI Center: Document Seal Right: Pope Paul V Scott 1506 (2012) On July 5, Pope Francis named Father Rocco Ronzani, an Augustinian priest and professor at the Patristicum, or Augustinian Patristic Institute in Rome, as the new prefect of the Vatican Apostolic Archive, formerly known as the “Vatican Secret Archive.” Opened to scholars, researchers, and historians in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII, the vast array of documents in the Vatican Apostolic Archive dates back twelve centuries and encompasses an amazing 85 lineal kilometers (or 53 lineal miles) of underground shelving, including material from past papacies, ecumenical councils, conclaves, and other Vatican and Church documents from around the world. Established by Pope Paul V in 1612 as the “Novum Archivum” (“New Archive”), the archive was intended to store and preserve the records of the pope and the Holy See. In the mid-1600’s, it took on the name of the “Vatican Secret Archive”, with the term “secret” intended to imply “private”. In 2019, the name of the archive was changed by Pope Francis to the “Vatican Apostolic Archive” to avoid “the negative associations that accompany modern interpretations of the word ‘secret’.” Father Ronzani succeeds Archbishop Sergio Pagano, who has been stationed at the Vatican Archives for 45 years, serving as prefect since 1995. Vatican City has issued three releases focused on the Vatican Secret Archives. The three stamps shown at the top of the article were issued in 2012 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the foundation of the archive. The 1980 aerogramme celebrated the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Vatican Secret Archive by Pope Leo XIII, and the post card set from 1984 included five cards showing the history of the Archive and brought attention to its expansion during the 1960's and 1970's. The expanded Archive was dedicated by Pope John Paul II in 1980. 100th Anniversary of the Opening of the Vatican Secret Archives Aerogramme 1980 Vatican Secret Archives Postcard Set Cover (1984) REFERENCES: Courtney Mares, Catholic News Agency (CNA), July 6, 2024, Pope Francis appoints new prefect of Vatican archives UFN, November 27, 1984, Issue of Postcards UFN, September 13, 2012, 4th Centenary of the Foundation of the Vatican Secret Archives Vatican Philatelic Society website, www.vaticanstamps.org, Stamp Database Search