Vatican Apostolic Archive
The Vatican Apostolic Archive, formerly known as the Vatican Secret Archive, is the central repository in the Vatican City of all acts promulgated by the Holy See.
A document from the Secret Archives recording an oath sworn to Pope Honorius III by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in Haguenau, September 1219. This is an example of how medieval handwriting can be difficult to read, both for modern readers and for text-recognition software.
Pope Paul V, born Camillo Borghese, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 16 May 1605 to his death, in January 1621. In 1611, he honored Galileo Galilei as a member of the papal Accademia dei Lincei and supported his discoveries. In 1616, Pope Paul V instructed Cardinal Robert Bellarmine to inform Galileo that the Copernican theory could not be taught as fact, but Bellarmine's certificate allowed Galileo to continue his studies in search for evidence and use the geocentric model as a theoretical device. That same year Paul V assured Galileo that he was safe from persecution so long as he, the Pope, should live. Bellarmine's certificate was used by Galileo for his defense at the trial of 1633.
Portrait of Pope Paul V by Caravaggio (1605–1606, Galleria Borghese)
Mosaic depicting the arms of Pope Paulus V (Camillo Borghese)
Facade of St. Peter's Basilica
Painting of Emanuele Ne Vunda, ambassador from Alvaro II to Pope Paul V in 1604–1608, Sala dei Corazzieri, Qurinal Palace, Rome, 1615–1616.
