Vatican Store Heats Up Italy’s Winter Sales Period

With the winter sales period in full swing in most Italian cities, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about one of the more exclusive sales events in the country – the Vatican’s designer sale.

At the Vatican store, you’ll find televisions, jewellry, designer handbags and clothing – and at some of the bes prices in the area. However, it’s not a case of “come one, come all” – not by a long shot. You’ve got to know a cardinal to get in.

The store istelf is “officially open only to Vatican staff, clergy and diplomats,” but anyone who knows a friendly priest or (as the article suggests) a “Vatican cleaner” can borrow a membership card and score some amazing discounts. The article doesn’t say why the Vatican has a designer-label store in the first place, but I guess it’s like a company perk – in addition to the fun array of hats to choose from when you become a cardinal, you also get to buy Gucci handbags to match for a fraction of their original costs. It’s no wonder they’re not letting women become priests – they’d never get ’em out of the store.