"PETER'S PENCE"

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 1, 2 January 1936, Page 7

"PETER'S PENCE"

VATICAN FINANCES EFFECT OF SANCTIONS ‘■VERY SEVERELY HIT.”

APPEALS TO THE LEAGUE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] LONDON, iDec. 3U. The Rome correspondent of the Daily Express says that Lhe Yatican has been most severely hit by sanctions. The remittance of “Peter’s Pence” has been rendered impossible, as the \ aticau does not possess separate banking institutions. Foreign money must, pass through the Italian banks, to which financial sanctions apply. lhe Cardinals’ Commission tor the Administration of property reported tv the Pope on Christmas Eve a tremendous decrease in the Papal income. The Papal Nuncio at Berne (the Archbishop of Iconium) has twice seen Al. Avenol, -Secretary general to the League of Nations, an.l it is understood the complaints hnvr n passed on to Al. Laval, who has pro.u/se.d to investigate them and arrange ' r the Yatican to receive special cousidei'i.tion. The Vatican’s close fimneial links with. Italy have given rise Io reports that Italy is using the Vatican’s "frozen credits” abroad to make purchases from non-sanctionist countries. The Osservatore Romano strongly denies there is any arrangement between Signor Alussolini and the Vatican by which “Peter’s Pence” are used lor purposes of finance. ‘‘Peter’s Pence” is an ntriunl tribute paid in former time- Lu the Pope, and. it is said to bav* been at first a voluntary offering by itiu. King of the West-Saxvns, and amor nt ing to a penny a year levied on all .families owning land of the annual \aiin of 30d. The tax was continued down .to the reign of Henry VIII, by whom if was abolished. It is still customary to call contributions sent to .the Pope •‘Peter’s Pence,” but nowhere are such payments enforced to-day.