The Incredible Book of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities: A Treasury of Trivia [Paperback]

Nino Lo Bello (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 17, 1997

What's the pope's salary? Has a pope ever been impeached? Who was Pope Joan? Have there ever been married popes? Which pope was exhumed for a public trial?

Find the answer to these and nearly 200 other questions in this vast cornucopia of interesting, unusual, and intriguing facts and minutiae about the seat of the Roman Catholic religion (Vatican City) and the popes who have reigned there.
Drawing on almost three decades of experience as a journalist covering Italy and in particular the Vatican, Lo Bello entertains the reader on every page with trivia and fascinating anecdotes.

The book also features more in-depth Vaticaniain essays that explore such topics as: exorcism and the Vatican; the process of making a saint; the Vatican's involvement in the film industry; la Popessa (the most powerful woman in Vatican history).

Appendices provide both a glossary of Vatican terminology and significant dates in Catholic Church history.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Which pope was a speed demon? What is the pope's salary? Here is a non-sacred treasure trove of fascinating, surprising, and little-known tidbits about the Vatican and the popes, not only for the 700 million Catholics in the world but also for people of other faiths. Includes a time-line of significant dates in Church history, and a glossary of Vatican terms. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Nino Lo Bello was for eight years the Italian correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune, and for more than a quarter-century served as special correspondent for the International Herald Tribune. The Incredible Book of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities was the last book he wrote before his death.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Liguori Publications; 1st edition (December 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764801716
• ISBN-13: 978-0764801716
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #623,347 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > History > Europe > Vatican

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a fun and interesting book to read!!, December 10, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Incredible Book of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities: A Treasury of Trivia (Paperback)

I had a wonderful time reading about Vatican City. It is not a religious book, but a trivia book about the State of Vatican City. Want to know what mistakes Michaelangelo made in the design of St. Peter's? If a pope has ever lost his temper in public? How was the pope going to outwit Hitler? Which government has jurisdiction over the pope? This book is easy reading and very informative. I loved it!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Trivia!, May 6, 2005

By 

James Gallen (St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Incredible Book of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities: A Treasury of Trivia (Paperback)

"The Incredible Book Of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities" is a delightful collection of Trivia for any Catholic fan. Most of the book is divided into four topical categories. Each question is followed by a short answer, usually consisting of one or two paragraphs. The final section deals with topics which demand a longer explanation than those given in the earlier portions of the book. Whether your goal is to up the scores of your trivia team, prepare for your trip to the Vatican or just enjoy learning about the Church, this short book is a quick and entertaining read.

29 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LoBello's Play, August 21, 2001

By 

Patricia M. Dugan "Patricia M. Dugan" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Incredible Book of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities: A Treasury of Trivia (Paperback)

To enjoy this book rather that use it as a kind of "Ripley's Believe It or Not" reference book for Catholics, read the foreword written by the widow of this recently deceased author. She humanizes this lovely little book in a very touching way. LoBello's personal life motto was "Work hard, Pray hard, Play hard." This book is his play. The author was himself a respected journalist and this is his collection of tidbits that just did not have a proper place in print for him before. And, they are funny and fascinating. Having dallied with cigarette smoking myself once, I just loved knowing that Pope John XXIII succumbed on a regular basis. Who knew there have been Pope abdications and even a layman and a woman Pope??? Read the Book! The last part has longer sections on a few topics that need time. Here is where LoBello's talent as a writer is truly evident. He takes a few provocative topics like Exorcism, Canonization, and the Vatican as Film Maker, and makes for great reading on them. The chapter on Pope Pius XII and his assistant, Sister Pasqualina, is riveting. Between her and Pope Joan, LoBello makes the men on the throne a shade paler. I read this book in one well-spent hour, and it is still a keeper. I will reach for it over and over and over.