18 Jan 2013 Papalem promeritum pecto prohibetur
Posted at 07:54h
in Purchasing Card
I do like an alliterative headline but it’s not every day you get to see one in Latin. Paraphrased slightly it translates as “Papacy prohibits pilgrims’ plastic”
It’s all about EU rules on banks operating outside of the European Union. The Economist reports that the Vatican Bank, Istituto per le Opere di Religione, hasn’t got its act together in terms of its money laundering safeguards so that Deutsche Bank, the Vatican’s acquirer, is not allowed to provide payment services. This means that pilgrims, when they arrive at the gift shop, have to traipse to the Vatican ATM (instructions in Latin!) and get cash out.
I wonder if they accept Paypal?
Pete Loughlin can be found on twitter @peteloughlin
