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Holy See 

 Flag of Holy See

Last reviewed: 01 October 2010 

 

Country information

Map of Vatican City State

Area: 0.44 sq km (109 acres)
Population: Population:  466. Diplomats abroad: 333. Workforce: Roman Curia: 2,750 employees; Vatican City State: 1,909 employees.
Capital City: Vatican City
Language(s): Business is conducted in Italian, English, French, Spanish and Latin
Religion: Catholic
Head of State: Pope Benedict XVI (formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger), elected 19 April 2005.
Prime Minister: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone (since 15 September 2006)
Foreign Minister: Archbishop Dominique Mambertì, Secretary for Relations with States in the Papal Secretariat of State (since 15 September 2006).

Membership of international organisations: The Holy See is a full member of various international organizations including: the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Organisation for Security and Co-Operation in Europe (OSCE), and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT).
The Holy See is also a permanent observer state in various international organizations, including the United Nations General Assembly, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, WTO, ILO, WHO, and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.  In 2004, the United Nations General Assembly extended the rights and privileges of the Holy See as an observer state within the UN, through its Resolution 58/314 of 16 July that year. Up until 2002, the Holy See and Switzerland were the only two observer states in the United Nations.  In 2002, Switzerland voted in a national referendum to take up full UN membership.  The Holy See is also a Non-Member Accredited State of the African Union (AU), a Member of a bilateral agreement of cooperation of the League of Arab States (LAS), and Guest of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO).

What is the Holy See?

The Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church and operates from the Vatican City State, a sovereign, independent territory of 0.44 square kilometres (0.17 square miles). The Pope is the ruler of both the Vatican City State and the Holy See.

The term “see” comes from the Latin word “sedes”, meaning, “seat”, which refers to the Episcopal throne (cathedra). The term “Apostolic See” can refer to any see founded by one of the Apostles, but, when used with the definite article, it is used in the Catholic Church to refer specifically to the see of the Bishop of Rome, whom the Catholic Church sees as successor of Saint Peter, the leader of the apostles.


The Holy See (Sancta Sedes in Latin) is the Episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the pre-eminent Episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres, the Holy See acts and speaks for the whole Catholic Church. It is also recognised by other subjects of international law as a sovereign juridical entity under international law, headed by the Pope, with which diplomatic relations can be maintained.  The Holy See (the central government of the Catholic Church) is made up of the Pope and the Departments that assist him in carrying out his responsibilities towards the universal Church (identified as the Apostolic See or Holy See)..

 

Governance of the Holy See
The Pope governs the Catholic Church through the Roman Curia (Vatican Civil Service). The Roman Curia consists of a number of departments that administer church affairs.  Those departments consist of the Secretariat of State, nine Congregations, three Tribunals, eleven Pontifical Councils, and seven Pontifical Commissions. The Secretariat of State, under the Cardinal Secretary of State, directs and coordinates the Curia. The present incumbent, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, is the Holy See’s equivalent of a Prime Minister. Archbishop Dominique Mambertì, Secretary for Relations with States, acts as the Holy See’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

Among the most active of the main Vatican departments are the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees the Catholic Church’s doctrine; the Congregation for Bishops, which coordinates the appointment of bishops in the developed world; the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, which oversees all missionary activities, including the appointment of bishops in the developing world; and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which deals with international thematic foreign policy and development and social issues.

Three tribunals are responsible for judicial power. The Sacra Rota is responsible for normal appeals, including decrees of nullity for marriages, with the Apostolic Signatura being the administrative court of appeal and highest ecclesiastical court. The Apostolic Penitentiary issues absolutions, dispensations, and indulgences.  

The Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See coordinates the finances of the Holy See departments and supervises the administration of all offices.  The Prefecture of the Papal Household is responsible for the organization of the Papal household, audiences, and ceremonies.  

What is the Vatican City State?

The Vatican City State is a sovereign independent territory which was founded following the signing of the Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy on 11 February 1929. These were ratified on 7 June 1929. Its nature as a sovereign State, distinct from the Holy See, is universally recognised under international law.

Holy See as opposed to Vatican?
Although the Holy See is closely associated with the Vatican City State, the independent territory over which the Holy See is sovereign, they are two international identities. The Holy See is not the same sovereign entity as the Vatican City State, which only came into existence in 1929 with the Lateran Treaty.  The Holy See dates back to early Christian times. Ambassadors are officially accredited to the Holy See and not the Vatican City State, and Papal representatives to states and international organizations are recognised as representing the Holy See, not the Vatican City State.  The Holy See as legal person bears many similarities with the crown in Christian monarchies.

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