"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
30 Mar 2025
In a world where gloomy headlines seem to rule the day, here comes a sparkling ray of sunshine, literally! The tiniest country on Earth, Vatican City, has decided to switch gears and glow up in the greenest way possible. Soon, the spiritual capital of the Catholic world will also become a solar superstar, running entirely on clean, renewable energy. Yes, you heard it right, the Vatican is all set to become the eighth country in the world to run 100% on solar power.
A Holy Solar Revolution
This isn’t just another green initiative, this is a celestial game-changer. Pope Francis, the planet’s most climate-conscious pontiff, dropped the news like a beam of hope in his latest apostolic letter titled Fratello Sole (Brother Sun). The plan? A massive solar farm sprawling across 424 hectares of Vatican-owned land near Rome. These shiny, eco-friendly solar panels will soak up the Italian sunshine and power the entire Vatican City, making it energy independent and setting a heavenly example for the rest of the world.
And this isn’t their first eco-rodeo. The Vatican already has small-scale solar installations scattered across the city-state, but now they’re going all in. Soon, every glowing light, every warm cup of coffee in Vatican cafes, and every humble prayer will be powered by the sun.
Heavenly Sunshine: A Moral Mission
Pope Francis isn’t just leading Sunday sermons; he’s leading the charge for planet Earth’s survival. His message is clear, taking care of the environment is not a luxury, it’s a moral duty. He passionately reminds the world that we owe this beautiful blue planet to future generations, and it’s high time we ditched dirty fuels for cleaner, kinder alternatives.
In Fratello Sole, he speaks of the ethical and social necessity to switch to sustainable energy and leave behind a greener, fairer world. The Vatican’s solar movie is a loud, bright shout to the world: If the smallest country on Earth can do it, so can you! Once the Vatican flips the switch on its solar project, it’ll proudly stand beside the world’s renewable energy champions like Albania, Bhutan, Nepal, Paraguay, Ethiopia, Iceland, and Congo, nations already running on 99.7% or more renewable energy. Talk about elite companies!
A Pocket-Sized Country with Planet-Sized Dreams!
The Vatican may be small in size but is gigantic in vision. This solar project is not just about watts and wires. It's about hope, responsibility, and action. As Pope Francis beautifully puts it, “Humanity has the technological means to face this environmental transformation and its consequences.”
In other words, the solutions are already shining upon us, all we have to do is look up!
And the Vatican isn’t alone in this renewable revolution. Globally, more than 40 countries already produce over half of their electricity from renewables. As Stanford’s climate guru Professor Mark Jacobson says, “We don’t need miracle technologies. We need to electrify everything and power it with Wind, Water, and Solar.” The Vatican heard him loud and clear and they’re walking the talk.
This isn’t just a story about solar panels, it’s a story about possibility, leadership, and collective responsibility. The Vatican’s solar leap is proof that when faith, science, and action come together, the result is nothing short of miraculous. As this tiny nation bathes in sunshine and sustainability, it sends out a glowing message to the world, a cleaner, brighter future is not a dream, it’s a decision. And the Vatican just made it.
So next time you look at the Vatican, don’t just think of chapels and cathedrals. Think of solar panels, positive change, and a tiny nation with a giant, glowing heart leading us toward a better tomorrow.