Vatican City

Yes, it is surrounded by Rome.

In Vatican City in Rome.
St. Peter's Square is outside St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, which is located within Rome, Italy.

The Papal States ceased to exist during the reign of Pope Pius IX in the 19th century. Today only the small country of Vatican City remains and it is totally surrounded by Rome and the country of Italy.

The figure would be based on need - what problems or disasters need to be addressed with financial aid at the time. Therefore, the amount varies from time to time. The Vatican is the largest charitable organization in the world. The treasury of the Vatican was almost completely drained after World War I so as to help victims and refugees of the conflict.

No. The Sistine Chapel is located in the Vatican, sometimes called Vatican City. The Vatican as we know it is what remains of a once quite large region called the Papal States over which the Pope was the absolute ruler.

There is no mother superior of Saint Peter's Basilica.

Yes, the Vatican Observatory Research Group operates the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, one of the telescopes that is located at the Mount Graham International Observatory in Arizona.

The Vatican is its own nation, but wholly inside Italy (the nation itself is about the size of New York's Central Park). Local residents generally speak Italian and therefore have the same accent. Church officials, of course, will have an accent that corresponds to their nation of origin, which could be anywhere in Christendom.

The shopping area outside of St. Peter's has soft drinks and cold water. Drinks are not allowed into the church. The dress code is also strict. Women are not allowed in with bare arms. The guards also go through bags in the museums. They do not allow photos in the church and you have to keep moving.

Pope Paul VI closed Vatican II.

The Second Vatican Council in its Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy called for several things: first among them, it called for full, active participation:

Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that fully conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy.

It also called for education of the laity,

and then it called for "noble simplicity" without "useless repetitions":

The rites should be distinguished by a noble simplicity; they should be short, clear, and unencumbered by useless repetitions; they should be within the people's powers of comprehension, and normally should not require much explanation.

and finally it called for Latin to be retained, although the vernacular could be used in such as the readings, to make them easier to understand. For the full document, see the link below:

Masonry is not found in Vatican City. Membership is prohibited for Catholics.

The Vatican is quite small (less than 0.2 square mile) and has little space for housing. It is still one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Leonardo da Vinci was the one who painted the inside of Brunelleschis Dome

If you are referring to the uniforms of the Swiss Guard, their uniforms were designed by Michelangelo in the 16th century.

The top of the dome of Saint Peter's Basilica, at 452 feet (138 m) is the highest point in the Vatican.

The Vatican is totally surrounded by the city of Rome, Italy.

To anyone who would bother looking this up,

Well as anyone will tell you getting into Vatican city or more accurately based on size I prefer to call Vatican town ( the smallest "country" in the world with a single 300 meter or so strip of shops) can be tricky. The best way is to attempt to appear like you know where you going and simply walk in as a group of people has entered. If this inevitably results in a Swiss guard grabing you simply say you were trying to see St. Peters Cathedral or trying to see a museum. Next enter with a group and this time offer a or rather pull out a wad of cash and say you'd like to just see the town and buy a beer. Inevitable this results in a show of passport and a promise to behave. And of course some form of payment. That could be in today's economy 50-100 euros.

Upon entering the city you'll see all the exciting things one would expect in the capital of any country simply compressed a thousand fold. Official Vatican sorts in all types of drag from business suits to bishop outfits.

Stores do exist, very small and it sort of look like downtown Disney. Yes its a real functioning town but its really a flock of stores amid the backdrop of St. Peters and associated buildings.

The one bar I did enter was full of people from around the world. Beers on tap and a typical pub scene. I would imagine the thing closed by 9 or so. And with a single micro plaza with one fountain it would be hard to image the place having a bar hotel disco till the late am hours.

I did as I recall see a hotel for visiting officials but did not inquire about costs or credentials for entry.

Upon leaving: A line exists where passport verification is required. If you got in via the social line/tourist line and were just drinking a beer, admit fault, and be honest and from a NATO country your hassle will be worth the experience!

Please note I don't advocate questionable non official means for entry into any sovrein state let alone the Vatican.

The Vatican has no metro. However, the Rome Metro comes very close to the Vatican.

The Vatican is considered an enclave city because it is a territory whose geographical boundaries lie entirely within the boundaries of another territory.

Moldova has an area of more than 13 square miles. The Vatican and Monaco are both less than one square mile.

The Second Vatican Council said nothing about beverages in Church.

The greatest problem for tourists to the Vatican is that of pickpockets who come from outside of the Vatican to prey upon the thousands of tourists who come to the Vatican daily.