# What's the everyday language of the Vatican? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 25, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054 "2009-10-25T15:47:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/1 "2009-10-25T15:47:27Z")
I understand Latin is still the official language of the Vatican. But do they still use Latin in conversation, whether in business settings or in casual usage? If they don’t, what do they use? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/2 "2009-10-25T16:18:01Z")
Actually Latin is the language often used formally by the Holy See, not Vatican City itself. From the Wiki on Vatican City: > [@](#): > > Vatican City has no set official language. Unlike the Holy See, which most often uses Latin for the authoritative version of official documents of the Roman Catholic Church (Western and Eastern, Vatican City uses Italian in its legislation and official communications.[35] Italian is also the everyday language used by most of those who work in the state. In the Swiss Guard, German is the language used for giving commands, but the individual guards take their oath of loyalty in their own languages, German, French, Romansh or Italian. Vatican City’s official website languages are Italian, English, French, German and Spanish. (This site should not be confused with that of the Holy See, which uses all these languages, along with Portuguese, with Latin since 9 May 2008 and Chinese since 18 March 2009.) Makes sense, given that they are an enclave of Italy, and a majority of the people working inside the Vatican are actually Italian. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/3 "2009-10-25T16:20:19Z")
Someone told me that the ATMs in Vatican City has screen displays in Latin. No idea whether there are displays in other languages. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/4 "2009-10-25T20:05:33Z")
Okay, regarding that ATM thing. . .I’m gonna be in Rome in two weeks, and I’m gonna be staying right by the Vatican. I’ll check the ATMs. ---
**Author:** ![Yesterdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/d07c76/32.png) [@Yesterdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yesterdog)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2009, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/5 "2009-10-25T21:53:36Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Someone told me that the ATMs in Vatican City has screen displays in Latin. No idea whether there are displays in other languages. > [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](#): > > Okay, regarding that ATM thing. . .I’m gonna be in Rome in two weeks, and I’m gonna be staying right by the Vatican. I’ll check the ATMs. I am really interested to hear what the outcome of this is. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/6 "2009-10-26T00:01:23Z")
Having been to Rome, and the Vatican (admittedly, it was quite a few years ago), I’d be surprised if there WERE any ATMs inside the Vatican. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/7 "2009-10-26T00:44:53Z")
> [@Yesterdog](#): > > I am really interested to hear what the outcome of this is. Me too! Og bless the Dope. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/8 "2009-10-26T01:14:36Z")
The closest I’ve got is using one in the Via della Conciliazione, 200 metres or so from the border with the Vatican. That was in February 2007. Its instructions were in Italian, with options for other languages, including English. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/9 "2009-10-26T01:22:33Z")
This picture is floating around out there: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035636906@N01/2360283395](http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035636906@N01/2360283395) If that isn’t faked, note that it says “Latin is one of the languages for the ATM in the Vatican”, not that it is exclusively in Latin. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/10 "2009-10-26T02:15:07Z")
There’s a similar picture (from a different angle) on this [blog](http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2006/09/28/a-glimpse-inside-the-vatican-msgr-robert-deeleys-guest-post/)from a clergyman who visited the Vatican. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/11 "2009-10-26T03:10:36Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Having been to Rome, and the Vatican (admittedly, it was quite a few years ago), I’d be surprised if there WERE any ATMs inside the Vatican. I may stand corrected on this. Looks like there actually may be one ATM in the Vatican. If true, that’s still pretty amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/12 "2009-10-26T05:05:58Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Having been to Rome, and the Vatican (admittedly, it was quite a few years ago), I’d be surprised if there WERE any ATMs inside the Vatican. Why? It’s one of the major tourist sites in the country. Tourists will want to have access to cash. (And the Vatican wants them to have cash handy for the collection plates.) So why wouldn’t the Vatican install some ATM’s, and collect the fees that come from them? ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/13 "2009-10-26T05:34:02Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I may stand corrected on this. Looks like there actually may be one ATM in the Vatican. If true, that’s still pretty amazing. Not really. It’s a state, not a cathedral. Nothing wrong with an ATM there. Now, I doubt there’s an ATM inside St. Peter’s. THAT would be icky. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/14 "2009-10-26T06:32:01Z")
> [@toadspittle](#): > > Now, I doubt there’s an ATM inside St. Peter’s. THAT would be icky. It’d be time for another scourge of the moneychangers … I keep whipping this machine, but it refuses to budge… ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/15 "2009-10-26T13:52:59Z")
> [@](#): > > Having been to Rome, and the Vatican (admittedly, it was quite a few years ago), I’d be surprised if there WERE any ATMs inside the Vatican. I agree, considering the whole banishing-moneychangers-from-the-temple thing. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/16 "2009-10-26T14:45:27Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Why? It’s one of the major tourist sites in the country. Tourists will want to have access to cash. (And the Vatican wants them to have cash handy for the collection plates.) So why wouldn’t the Vatican install some ATM’s, and collect the fees that come from them? Because when I was there I didn’t notice any commercial activity at all there. It was all religious structures, as far as I can recollect. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/17 "2009-10-26T15:04:09Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Because when I was there I didn’t notice any commercial activity at all there. It was all religious structures, as far as I can recollect. Sorry but there is a gift shop just outside the entrance to the Vatican museum as well as a post office where you can buy Vatican stamps or mail a letter. I think both would qualify as commercial activity. Having said that I didn’t see an ATM though I would suspect it would be in this area. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/18 "2009-10-26T15:28:20Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Sorry but there is a gift shop just outside the entrance to the Vatican museum as well as a post office where you can buy Vatican stamps or mail a letter. I think both would qualify as commercial activity. Having said that I didn’t see an ATM though I would suspect it would be in this area. You appear to be correct about ONE location, although there are statements out there that there are 3 ATMs in the Vatican. For instance, from this travel guide, which places one of them near the post office, as you suspected: [http://www.world66.com/europe/vaticancity/practicaladdresses/fr\_tim\_deeter](http://www.world66.com/europe/vaticancity/practicaladdresses/fr_tim_deeter) > [@](#): > > Walk on a few metres, and on your right is one of only 3 ATM’s in Vatican City – it’s interesting, because Latin is one of the language choices! Right after the ATM is the main post office – built in the classical style, with a flight of steps and a columned porch. I don’t find it particularly surprising either. In addition to the tourist traffic, a lot of secular business goes on within Vatican City, such as the bureaucratic paper pushing that goes with them being a sovereign entity - about 3000 lay workers work there, and reside in Rome. There’s about 900 actual citizens. Somebody working in an office there is going to want the same conveniences as office workers everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Happy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Mr\_Happy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Happy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/19 "2009-10-26T15:36:19Z")
ATM in the Vatican? Surely they wouldn’t be taking money from their followers? ---
**Author:** ![Livardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/43a26b/32.png) [@Livardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Livardo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054/20 "2009-10-26T15:46:24Z")
see if you can make a deposit to God’s account with those ATMs! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-everyday-language-of-the-vatican/515054.md?page=2)