10 May 2007
4. The Structures of the Vatican
As I have repeatedly spoken of the Holy See and of Vatican City State, I think the moment has come to clarify these concepts somewhat; the “Vatican” is a complex, but not incoherent entity, and it has a clear structure, as appears from the Code of Canon Law, from the Apostolic Constitution “De Romana Curia”, Pastor Bonus, of 28 June 1988, and, I would say almost visually, from the Annuario Pontificio.
First and foremost, there is a single apex, namely the Pope, upon whom both the Holy or Apostolic See and Vatican City State are dependent.
4a. Thus, the terms Holy See or Apostolic See designate, apart from the Pope himself, all the organs of government, broadly understood, and all the tribunals of the Universal Church which go under the overall name of Roman Curia (cf. Code of Canon Law, canon 361). The term “See” refers to the “Chair of Peter”: that is, to the symbol of the teaching and governing authority of the first of the Apostles, Simon Peter, whose successor the Pope is: hence it is qualified as Apostolic or Holy.
Chief among the various ministries (designated, according to their nature, either as Congregations or Councils) that the Pope makes use of in order to lead the Church, is the Secretariat of State. This is divided into two Sections:
- the First, for General Affairs, is concerned mainly with internal matters of the Church;
- the Second, for Relations with States, is recognized in international protocol as the Foreign Ministry. This has the task of dealing with heads of state and of governments, of fostering relations with States, especially those of a diplomatic nature and other subjects of public international law, and of dealing with matters of common interest; it promotes the good of the Church and of civil society by means of Concordats and Agreements; it oversees the activity of the Holy See with the international organizations.
The Ambassadors to the Holy See have as their direct interlocutor the Secretariat of State, Second Section. Also answerable to the Secretariat are the Pope’s ambassadors, designated “Apostolic Nuncios”, a term which emphasizes their specifically ecclesial function.
4b. The term Vatican City State, on the other hand, refers to that tiny State located on the Vatican Hill, governed by the Pope via the Governatorato which is directed by the President. The Governatorato is structured into six central offices, three auxiliary agencies and nine direzioni (these are like small ministries).8
The Vatican City State, like the Holy See, is a sovereign subject of international law. But Article 2 of the Fundamental Law of the State declares: “The representation of the State in relations with foreign states and with other subjects of international law, for diplomatic relations and for the conclusion of treaties, is reserved to the Supreme Pontiff, who exercises it by means of the Secretariat of State. And the Secretariat of State, Section for Relations with States, when it concludes agreements in the name of the State, specifies that it is “acting on behalf and in the interest of the State of Vatican City”.
It is interesting to note that in the Listing of Country Names published annually by the United Nations, a note is added to the Holy See entry, stating that in United Nations Documents, the term “Holy See” is to be used, except in texts concerning the international Telecommunications Union and the Universal Postal Union, where the term “Vatican City State” is to be used.