Pope Francis states that the vaccination campaign in the city-state will begin next week. He also confirms that he will take the vaccine himself.[1]
Fabrizio Soccorsi, Pope Francis' personal physician, dies at a hospital in Rome due to "complications due to COVID-19".[2]
13 January – On the first day of a COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the city-state, Pope Francis and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI receive their firsts doses.
22 February – The Vatican Press Office issues a statement to journalists accompanying Pope Francis on his trip to Iraq in March. All journalists will need to show a Certificate of Vaccination to prove vaccination against COVID-19.[4]
24 March – Pope Francis issues a decree that cuts the 10% of the cardinals' and other officials' salaries due to the Vatican foreseeing a financial deficit of 50 million euros this year.[7]
May
11 May – Pope Francis formally institutes the office of catechist as a ministry within the Church. With an apostolic letter entitled Antiquum Ministerium, released on May 11, the Pope establishes the lay ministry, and announces that the Vatican would soon publish a ritual for the commissioning of catechists.[8]
9 August – A barely legible letter to Pope Francis regarding the Vatican's financial scandals, which contained three bullets and is believed to have originated from France, is intercepted by postal workers in Peschiera Borromeo, near Milan. The letter is being treated by authorities as a possible death threat against Francis.[9]
1 September – Pope Francis defended an agreement with China allowing the appointment of new Catholic bishops, on the grounds that "uneasy dialogue is better than no dialogue at all", and recalling that in the Cold War era, talks with countries in Eastern Europe yielded positive results.[11] The Vatican and China have had strained relations since the communist party took power in 1949.[11]
20 September – The Vatican issues a decree that would require visitors to show proof of vaccination (Italian Green Pass or an immunity passport), or a negative test an beginning October 1.[12]
October
5 October – The trial against Giovanni Angelo Becciu resumes. The Cardinal was fired by Pope Francis in 2020 after being accused of fraud and embezzlement.
31 October –Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is welcomed to the Vatican by Pope Francis.[13]
Ignazio Cassis, the Swiss Foreign Minister meets with Cardinal Pietro Parolin to celebrate 100 years of diplomatic ties between the Vatican and Switzerland.[15]
Deaths
There have been no known deaths in Vatican City in the year 2021.
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