VATICAN CITY, JULY 1, 2001 (Zenit.org).- The semiofficial Vatican newspaper, L´Osservatore Romano, celebrated its 140th anniversary on Saturday.
The anniversary edition began with a letter from John Paul II to director Mario Agnes in which, after reviewing the newspaper´s history, he writes: «I, myself, have followed every day the religious, pastoral, cultural, political and social itinerary of the newspaper.»
L´Osservatore Romano publishes all the papal addresses and ecclesial appointments, and a summary of world, Italian and Roman news. During the Mussolini era it played a decisive role because it was one of the few sources of news that was not controlled by Il Duce.
All the editions of the past 140 years are available on some 70 CD-ROMs. To order the entire digitalized historical archive, which costs 4 million lire (about $1,800), an e-mail may be sent to: bazzani-mrk@ossrom.va
