One of the unique and quirky features of the Vatican is that its ATMs offer an option to conduct transactions in Latin—the only place in the world where this is possible! This reflects the Vatican’s deep connection to its traditional language, as Latin remains the official language of the Roman Catholic Church. While Latin is rarely spoken in daily life today, it still holds significant importance in Vatican City for religious and official purposes, which is why you’ll find it on ATMs there.

The Latin ATM option was implemented by the Istituto per le Opere di Religione (IOR), also known as the Vatican Bank, in an effort to maintain the Church's rich linguistic heritage. Users can select "Lingua Latina" when prompted, and from there, they'll navigate through commands like "deductio ex pecunia" (withdraw money) and "incriptio numeri secreti" (enter PIN).

The ATMs in Vatican City, including the ones with a Latin option, are primarily used by the residents and employees of the Vatican. This includes members of the clergy, Vatican workers, and those with accounts at the Vatican Bank (Istituto per le Opere di Religione). These individuals often include high-ranking officials in the Catholic Church, such as cardinals, bishops, and other members of the Vatican administration. Additionally, Vatican City’s small population of about 800 residents, including laypeople who work there, may also have access to these ATMs.

For tourists and visitors, while they can admire this quirky Latin feature, they wouldn’t typically be conducting transactions unless they have accounts with the Vatican Bank, which is quite exclusive.