COULD CARDINAL ROBERT SARAH SIGNAL A NEW ERA FOR THE VATICAN?

THROUGHOUT its two-millennia-long history, the Vatican has stood as both a spiritual beacon and a political titan.

- HALIM GENCOGLU

Yet despite its immense influence, it has not been immune to controversy.

In the 16th century, the notorious selling of indulgences fuelled widespread outrage, leading to Martin Luther's rebellion and the Protestant Reformation.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, alliances with authoritarian regimes, such as the Vatican's Concordat with Nazi Germany, further tainted the Church's moral standing.

And today, even as the Church seeks to renew itself, the wounds left by widespread reports of clerical abuse remain unhealed in the hearts of many faithful.

At the heart of these repeated scandals lies a consistent pattern: a Eurocentric leadership that often failed to fully understand or embrace the global and diverse nature of Catholicism.