They want to hide stuff...............they made the Vatican its own country in 1929.........to really limit access........

Access[edit]

The entrance to the Archives, adjacent to the Vatican Library, is through the Porta di S. Anna in via di Porta Angelica (rione of Borgo). New underground storage space was added in 1980.^[8]

Qualified scholars from institutions of higher education pursuing scientific researches, with an adequate knowledge of archival research, may apply for an entry card. Scholars need an introductory letter by either a recognized institute of research or by a suitably qualified person in the field of historical research. Applicants need to specify their personal data (name, address etc.) as well as the purpose of their research. Undergraduate students are not admitted.

Opening of the archives[edit]

Customarily, documents are made available to the public after a period of 75 years.

• 1817: Vatican Secret Archive brought back to the Vatican from France.^[9]
• 1883: Pope Leo XIII opened archives dated 1815 or earlier.
• 1924: Documents up to the end of the pontificate of Gregory XVI (June 1, 1846) were released.
• 1966: Documents from the pontificate of Pius IX (1846–78). (The opening of this material was originally planned during the pontificate of Pius XII.)
• 1978: Documents from the pontificate of Leo XIII (1878–1903).
• 1985: Documents from the pontificates of Pius X (1903–14) and Benedict XV (1914–22).
• 2002 (effective from 2003): Documents from the historical archives of the Secretariat of State (Second Section) pertaining to the Holy See's relations with Germany during the pontificate of Pope Pius XI (1922–39). The reason for this exceptional action was "to put an end to unjust and thoughtless speculation."^[10]
• 2006: All documents from the pontificate of Pope Pius XI.^[11]

2012 exhibition[edit]

To mark the 400th anniversary of the Vatican Archives, 100 original documents dating from the 8th to the 20th century were put on display from February to September 2012 in the "Lux in arcana – The Vatican Secret Archives reveals itself" exhibition held at theCapitoline Museums in Rome. They included the 1521 bull of excommunication of Martin Luther and a letter from Mary, Queen of Scots, written while awaiting her execution.^[12][13]