Crowds have been flocking to the Vatican this week, not to get a papal blessing or see the Sistine Chapel, but to snap up bargains at the winter sale at the Holy See's department store.

As Rome's post-Christmas sale season gets under way the Vatican store is offering some of the biggest savings in town on televisions, jewellery, designer handbags and clothing. But it is also the most exclusive event - it helps to know a cardinal to get in.

"It's not just the prices that I come for but the quality of the goods and the choice of top-notch brands," said a shopper.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/italy/story/0,,1989527,00.html

[The stocks of Vatican Church (VAC) soared nearly 17% by the announcement of succesful fourth quarter of 2006. Analysts doubted the Church's possibilities to claim their former leading position in the exploded market of wailing pity and guilt, in which the UN has recently come the market dominator, having the exclusive distribution of "Human Rights"(tm) in nearly every state. Vatican has filed charges for abuse of UN's monopoly position. ]