To help you cut through the acronyms and nicknames, The Pillar is compiling a series of explainers to help you make sense of the details. 

In this second installment, we bring you the what's what of Vatican financial institutions. Who are the banks in Pope Francis' neighborhood?

What does "the Vatican" even mean?

Many people think of the Holy See, or the Vatican, or Vatican City, as one thing. The reality is more complicated and messy. 

The Holy See is the sovereign entity in international law. It effectively consists of the pope and his government of the universal Church, and has long been recognized in international law as a  guarantee of the independence of the pope, and the operations of the Church, from interference by any national government.