Spiritual headquarters for 700-million Roman Catholics. Home of the Pope and his civil service. Storehouse of some of the greatest treasures in the world. The Vatican has never been the subject of so much interest or controversy as it is today, yet it remains a mysterious place. This film looks at the Vatican from the inside. For the first time, film cameras have been allowed to penetrate behind the splendid facade to show what the Vatican is really like-from the magnificent throne rooms in the Papal Palace to the tiny overcrowded offices. It looks at the place, and the men who work in it-from the humblest young priest to the Pope himself. Has this unique institution a role to play in the twentieth century? Commentary written by PATRICK O'DONOVAN Spoken by IAN HOLM Produced by MISCHA SCORER