<h1>Vatican Confronts Financial Strain: Declining Donations, Underused Assets Demand Urgent Restructuring and Strategic Monetization</h1> The Vatican faces significant financial challenges due to declining donations and underperforming assets. Traditional funding sources like Peter's Pence and bishops' contributions have decreased, while the Vatican's extensive real estate portfolio remains largely underutilized. Only one-fifth of its 5,449 properties are rented at market value. The current leadership must explore new fundraising strategies and potentially consider selling non-essential properties to address budgetary shortfalls.