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Vatican City – The Apostolic Palace, located within Vatican City, is the official residence of the Pope and the administrative center of the Catholic Church. This architectural complex consists of over a thousand rooms, including papal residences, the Sistine Chapel, the Pauline Chapel, and the Raphael Rooms. Beyond being the Pope’s home, it houses offices of the Roman Curia, libraries, archives, and museums, making it the spiritual and operational heart of the Holy See.

The Return of Leo XIV

Following a recent renovation, Pope Leo XIV is preparing to move into the Papal Apartments on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace. As tradition dictates, these works were undertaken to tailor the residence to the needs of the new Pontiff, a long-standing custom followed by every pope over the years. Pope Francis broke with this tradition by choosing to remain in the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

Traditionally, popes lived in the Quirinal Palace, but after the Capture of Rome in 1870 and the city's annexation into the Kingdom of Italy, the papal residence was transferred to the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. However, Pope Pius IX, while moving into the Palace, never occupied the very apartments that are now set to welcome Leo XIV.

It was Pope Pius X who began the practice of living on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace, a tradition upheld by all his successors—except Francis. Elected in 2013, Francis opted not to reside in the Papal Apartments, preferring the more modest Domus Sanctae Marthae, which over the years was renovated to better suit his needs. The Apostolic Palace served him only for official audiences and the Sunday Angelus, delivered from the window overlooking St. Peter's Square.

Each pope has contributed to the modification and restoration of the Apostolic Palace, shaping it according to his personal needs and sensibilities. The last to do so was Benedict XVI, who in 2005—after the death of St. John Paul II—renovated the Papal Apartments to make space for, among other things, his extensive personal library of over 20,000 volumes. Renovations were strategically planned for the summer, during the Pope’s traditional stay at Castel Gandolfo.

The Secretary of State’s Residence

The apartment of the Secretary of State is also located in the Apostolic Palace, on the first floor, and is often considered more beautiful than the Pope’s current quarters. This is largely due to its preserved Baroque style, originally designed for the Pope who lived there until the pontificate of Leo XIII. It was Pius X who relocated to the third floor, establishing the tradition followed by his successors.

Today, this apartment serves as the official residence of the Cardinal Secretary of State, the Pope’s closest collaborator in the governance of the Church.

Luxury or Simplicity? That’s Not the Real Issue

Leo XIV’s choice is seen as a measured and modest decision. The Papal Apartment, referred to in the Vatican simply as “the apartment,” is not a place of extravagance or luxury—it is marked by essential decor and a certain nobility. Unlike the Domus Sanctae Marthae, however, its location on the third floor ensures greater privacy and enhanced protection for the Pope.

This isn’t only about physical security—though it's worth noting that protection inside the Apostolic Palace falls exclusively to the Pontifical Swiss Guard. This clarification is necessary, as in recent years, some overstepped their boundaries, culminating in the reckless decision to allow the Gendarmerie to raid the Third Loggia, targeting the Secretariat of State—a space that had always been off-limits to them.

One of the most damaging aspects of Pope Francis’ papacy, over the past twelve years, was the excessive accessibility of certain individuals to the Pope—people who freely offered personal judgments and accusations against clergy.

This toxic clerical behavior has unfortunately spilled over to the laity. Within the Church, a dangerous habit has taken root: that of slander, used to discredit fellow clergy or laypeople deemed inconvenient. Whether the accusations are baseless or the facts insignificant is irrelevant—the goal is to throw mud and hope some of it sticks.

This is part of a deeply clerical mindset, tied to a well-known mechanism in ecclesiastical circles: projection. In these closed, power-driven environments, those with the most to hide are often the first to accuse others—using unaware or complicit intermediaries to carry out their dirty work. This is one reason Silere non possum has repeatedly warned about the dangerous network of media lobbies inside the Church. The naive reporter, unaware of internal dynamics and obsessed with ecclesiastical gossip, often—even unwittingly—becomes a conduit for false narratives.

Such defamatory claims are no different from the stories published in certain editorials: often sold as absolute truth, but far from it. Take, for instance, the so-called "journalists" who confidently recount what supposedly happened during the Conclave. In reality, these reports are usually copy-paste jobs, secondhand gossip, or, at best, a tidbit from a single cardinal.

Those who truly know the inner workings of these environments understand this: no account can be trusted without at least three separate confirmations from those directly involved. Before writing, one must think critically.

And yet, the pattern continues, polished over time: prelates leaking rumors, self-proclaimed “friends of cardinals” indulging in gossip, even seamstresses repeating what the cardinal said while trying on his chasuble… a system fueled by hearsay. If these individuals had the courage to speak openly, it would be easy to expose them. One need only look at their past to see that the mouths spreading lies are often more compromised than the ears listening.

This has essentially been the way the Church and the Vatican have been run for the past twelve years. Some would present themselves to the Pope with stories of immorality, corruption, or hidden skeletons among his collaborators. At Santa Marta, anyone could walk in with accusations—without any inquiry into who these accusers were, what their motives might be, or, most importantly, what evidence supported their claims.

Silere non possum has emphasized this many times: whenever you come across statements without documentation, irrelevant context, or clearly aimed at discrediting someone—whether cleric or layperson—you must ask yourself: What’s really driving this person to speak? What’s their agenda?

Most of the time, you’ll find that the target of baseless attacks is someone who had highlighted inconvenient truths or uncovered compromising facts about their accuser. At best, it’s a matter of jealousy or bitterness toward individuals who are at peace, respected, successful, and engaged in meaningful service. All qualities often lacking in these slanderers—many of whom, quite justifiably, are referred to as "repressed." Consider, for instance, the '60s-era clerics who lash out at younger priests, driven purely by envy. Every action they take becomes a subject of gossip and critique.

This same pattern applies to dozens of individuals who once served in the Vatican but were suddenly forced to return to their dioceses because the Pope chose to side with the gossip of “jealous and repressed confreres” or “bitter, equally repressed laypeople” who targeted cardinals, bishops, priests, and even lay professionals.

d.G.C.
Silere non possum