If you are visiting Rome and you want to pop into the Vatican City to see the wonderful architecture and the Sistine Chapel you’d better have a lot of cash in your pocket, or you won’t get in. From New Year’s Day, Italian Banks have banned the use of cash machines and credit card sales in the Vatican as the state is not complying with international money laundering laws. Interestingly this shows up very clearly in the astrology of the state.
The Astrology is indeed fascinating. The Vatican according to Nick Campion and Astro Databank was created on 7th June 1929 at 11.00am. This chart has it’s relations with other nations (7th house) and shared, borrowed and international finance (8th house) ruled both by Neptune, as Pisces is on the cusp of both. Transiting Neptune is now square to the Vatican’s Midheaven, indicating the interference of others countries (7th house) on the banking system of the Vatican (8th house) because their finances are not transparent (Neptune). Note the natal position of Neptune, hidden away in the Vatican’s 12th house, so the banking scene is very much veiled in secrecy.
With Pisces in charge of the 7th and 8th house, Virgo it’s opposite sign ruled by Mercury affects the houses representing the state (1st) and the finances and money supply (2nd). At midnight on New Year’s day, Mercury was making an inconjunct to the Midheaven, the public status of the Vatican and Jupiter which rules the state’s banks. Inconjunct aspects are separating or adjusting aspects and the message (Mercury) given here was that the Vatican’s banks had to change the way they were doing their business, otherwise the state would suffer in national and financial terms.
These impositions are going to cause some suffering and wounding to the Vatican. Transiting Chiron is on the descendant just entering the 7th house causing a rupture in relations with other countries that does need healing. Transiting Saturn is opposing the 9th house natal Chiron inconveniencing tourists and foreigners who plan to visit the center of the Catholic World.
The longer term view is shown through Pluto’s impending square to the Vatican’s natal Uranus which sits in the natal 8th house at 10:45 Aries. Pluto will contact this spot for the first time on Valentines Day, 14th February. Initial hits of this nature have shock value and I would imagine that the Vatican will get some sort of ultimatum to change their practices at this point, especially if some illegal financial or indecent allegations are exposed at this point. With Easter approaching, a time when the spotlight of the world falls on the Vatican, it would be wise of them however reluctantly to get their house firmly in order.
