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Vatican - History

Vatican - History
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 6 to 8
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   8.94

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    papacy, execution, Pepin, regional, Archeologists, apostle, ownership, modern-day, leadership, odds, refused, wealthy, defeat, disagreement, religion, history
     content words:    Holy See, Catholic Church, Jesus Christ, Roman Emperor Nero, Many Christians, Roman Catholic Church, Pope Stephen II, Pope Pius IX, Lateran Treaty

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Vatican - History
By Ekaterina Zhdanova-Redman 		  
1     The history of the Holy See -- more commonly called the Vatican -- is so closely tied to religion it is impossible to separate the two. The Vatican is the smallest country in the world. It occupies just about a square kilometer in downtown Rome, Italy. Despite its size, however, it is the most important place in the world to Catholics everywhere. It has been home to the Catholic Church's leadership for hundreds of years.
 
2     Catholicism is a Christian religion. An important part of the Catholic Church is its leadership and organization. At the top of its leadership is the Pope. During the course of the Catholic Church's history, there have been many popes. Most have called the Vatican home.
 
3     Most Catholics believe the first pope was a man named Peter, who was an apostle of Jesus Christ. During the 1st Century, the Roman Emperor Nero was persecuting Christians. Many Christians were executed on the grounds of today's Vatican. One of the Christians believed to be executed and buried there was Peter. According to tradition, Peter was crucified head down, so as not be crucified in the same way Jesus Christ was crucified -- head up.

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