Vatican Buys Property Including Europe's Biggest Gay Spa

The Vatican paid about $30 million for the property, to house about 19 Catholic priests and church leaders.

BY Michelle Garcia

March 12 2013 2:36 PM ET

Europa Multiclub

Vatican leaders recently purchased a block of property in Rome, that also happen to house Europe's biggest gay sauna.

According to The Independent, Cardinal Ivan Dias, the head of the Congregation for Evangelisation of Peoples lives in a 12-room apartment just yards from the entrance of Europa Multiclub. There are reportedly another 18 other Vatican apartments on that block, providing housing for priests.

Dias, known as the "prince of the church," is currently voting with more than 100 other Cardinals to name the next Pope. He is a social conservative, and has said in the past that gays and lesbians could be cured of homosexuality or "unnatural tendencies," as he put it, through prayer.

The properties, which were purchased for €23 million (or about US$30 million) were largely exempt from taxes under the Berlusconi government, and are considered part of the Holy City.