Vaticanologist
Encyclopedia
Vaticanologist or Vaticanist is a term coined in the mid-to-late twentieth century to describe journalists, academics and commentators whose area of expertise is in studying and understanding the manner by which the Holy See
and the Roman Catholic Church
operates. Particular emphasis is placed on the selection and appointment mechanisms by which its leadership elite emerges.
in general and the functioning and selection of the leadership elite in particular.
Both the Kremlin
and the Holy See operated in a great degree of secrecy and mystery, hence the attention paid to "experts" who were presumed to be able to read subtle nuances indicating who was on the "way up", who was on the "way down" and who were the "ones to watch" within their leadership elites.
The most famous Vaticanologist was the author and commentator Peter Hebblethwaite
, who wrote biographies of among others Pope John XXIII
and Pope Paul VI
, as well as a best-selling account of the events of 1978 in Year of Three Popes
. Robert Blair Kaiser
was a noted contributor in the field, who did much reporting on the Second Vatican Council
for TIME magazine.
In 2005, with the first papal election in the age of the continuous news cycle and the internet, many Vaticanologists became prominent through their wide dissemination both on the television and online publications. The weblog became a popular means for amateur Vatican watchers to share their insights and information.
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
operates. Particular emphasis is placed on the selection and appointment mechanisms by which its leadership elite emerges.
Origin and history
It owes its origins to the term Kremlinologist, which was used to describe media, academic and commentary experts who followed the function of the Communist Party of the Soviet UnionCommunist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
in general and the functioning and selection of the leadership elite in particular.
Both the Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
and the Holy See operated in a great degree of secrecy and mystery, hence the attention paid to "experts" who were presumed to be able to read subtle nuances indicating who was on the "way up", who was on the "way down" and who were the "ones to watch" within their leadership elites.
The most famous Vaticanologist was the author and commentator Peter Hebblethwaite
Peter Hebblethwaite
Peter Hebblethwaite , was a British priest, editor, journalist and biographer.-Life:...
, who wrote biographies of among others Pope John XXIII
Pope John XXIII
-Papal election:Following the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, Roncalli was elected Pope, to his great surprise. He had even arrived in the Vatican with a return train ticket to Venice. Many had considered Giovanni Battista Montini, Archbishop of Milan, a possible candidate, but, although archbishop...
and Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
, as well as a best-selling account of the events of 1978 in Year of Three Popes
Year of Three Popes
The Year of Three Popes is a common reference to 1978, when the College of Cardinals of the Catholic Church was required to elect two new popes within the same calendar year...
. Robert Blair Kaiser
Robert Blair Kaiser
Robert Blair Kaiser is an American author and journalist, best known for his writing on the Catholic Church.As a correspondent for Time Magazine, he won the Overseas Press Club's Ed Cunningham Award in 1962 for the "best magazine reporting from abroad" for his reporting on the Second Vatican...
was a noted contributor in the field, who did much reporting on the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
for TIME magazine.
In 2005, with the first papal election in the age of the continuous news cycle and the internet, many Vaticanologists became prominent through their wide dissemination both on the television and online publications. The weblog became a popular means for amateur Vatican watchers to share their insights and information.
List of recent vaticanists
- John L. Allen, Jr.John L. Allen, Jr.John L. Allen, Jr. is an American journalist based in Rome who specializes in news about the Catholic Church. He is senior correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter and vaticanologist of CNN and NPR. Allen is also the author of several books about the Catholic Church...
, National Catholic ReporterNational Catholic ReporterThe National Catholic Reporter is the second largest Catholic newspaper in the United States; its circulation reaches ninety-seven countries on six continents. Based in midtown Kansas City, Missouri, NCR was founded by Robert Hoyt in 1964 as an independent newspaper focusing on the Catholic Church... - Sandro MagisterSandro MagisterSandro Magister is an Italian journalist who writes for the magazine "L'espresso". He specializes in religious news, in particular on the Catholic Church and the Vatican...
, Chiesa - Robert MoynihanRobert MoynihanRobert Moynihan is the founding editor of Inside the Vatican magazine, a journal on Church and world affairs published every month in Rome. He obtained his Ph.D. in medieval history from the Yale University. He currently lives in Annapolis, Maryland....
, Inside the VaticanInside the VaticanInside the Vatican is a monthly magazine relating to issues within the Roman Curia, at the Vatican in Rome, which is at the very heart of the Roman Catholic Church and Christianity as a whole.... - Catherine Pepinster, The TabletThe TabletThe Tablet is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Contributors to its pages have included Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Paul VI ....
- Michael Angelo Sison, A Filipino scholar
- Marco Politi, La Repubblica
- Philip Pullela, Reuters
- Peter SteinfelsPeter SteinfelsPeter F. Steinfels is an American journalist and educator best known for his writings on religious topics.A native of Chicago, Illinois, and a lifelong Roman Catholic, Steinfels earned his Ph.D from Columbia University and joined the staff of the journal Commonweal in 1964...
, New York Times - Frédéric Mounier, La CroixLa CroixLa Croix is a daily French general-interest Roman Catholic newspaper. It is published in Paris and distributed throughout the country, with a circulation of just under 110,000 as of 2009...
- Damian ThompsonDamian ThompsonDamian Thompson is a British journalist, author and blogger.Thompson was educated at Presentation College, Reading, and read history at Mansfield College, Oxford University. He received his Ph.D in the sociology of religion from the London School of Economics for a thesis on the management of...
, Catholic Herald - Andrea Tornielli, Il GiornaleIl Giornaleil Giornale is an Italian daily newspaper published in Milan, Italy.-History:The newspaper was planned in 1972 by the journalist Indro Montanelli, together with the colleague Enzo Bettiza, after some disagreements with the new pro-left editorial line adopted by the newspaper Corriere della Sera,...
- Delia GallagherDelia GallagherDelia Buckley Gallagher is an American journalist based in Rome who currently serves as the Senior Editor for Inside the Vatican magazine. She formerly served as CNN’s Faith and Values Correspondent. Based in New York, Gallagher was a long time CNN Vatican Analyst, Vaticanologist, and religious...
, CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Faith and Values correspondent - Giancarlo Zizola, Le Monde...