Rome, see and Church of

Abstract

The Italian’ statuto fondamentale del Regno’ enacts, in its first article, that ‘the Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman religion is the sole religion of the State.’ By the Royal decree of Oct. 9, 1870, which declared that ‘Rome and the Roman Provinces shall constitute an integral part of the Kingdom of Italy,’ the Pope or Roman Pontiff was acknowledged supreme head of the Church, preserving his former rank and dignity as a sovereign prince. Furthermore, by a bill that became law May 13, 1871, there was guaranteed to His Holiness and his successors for ever, besides possession of the Vatican and Lateran palaces and the villa of Castel Gandolfo, a yearly income of 3,225,000 lire or 129,000l., which allowance (whose arrears would in 1904 amount to 109,650,000 lire, or 4,386,000l.) still remains unclaimed and unpaid.