The Holy See: The Spiritual and Administrative Heart of the Roman Catholic Church
- Iruni Kalupahana
- Apr 4
- 2 min read
Iruni Kalupahana, JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Europe
A Special Religious
The Holy See is the central government of the Roman Catholic Church, led by the pope, who is also the Bishop of Rome. It is not identical with Vatican City, the sovereign state established in 1929, as its jurisdiction is not confined to geographical boundaries. The term "see" comes from the Latin sedes, meaning "seat," symbolizing the pope's authority over the church's global membership of approximately 1.3 billion Catholics.
The Roman Curia
The Holy See operates through a structured system known as the Roman Curia, a bureaucracy resembling a government. It consists of many dicasteries, congregations, and councils that manage religious, doctrinal, and administrative responsibilities. The pope is head of state, and the cardinal secretary of state, the leader of the Secretariat of State, directs both church business and diplomatic relations.
The Secretariat of State
The Secretariat of State is divided into three sections: General Affairs, Relations with States, and Diplomatic Staff. General Affairs oversees the internal business of the church, publications, and official communications. Relations with States handles diplomatic affairs, including treaties and international representation. The Diplomatic Staff section, established by Pope Francis in 2017, is tasked with the welfare and careers of Vatican diplomats.
Global Diplomacy
The Holy See is diplomatically connected with many nations through its nuncios, or papal ambassadors, who are graduated from the elite Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. The Holy See, as a sovereign subject of international law, holds membership in various institutions like the UN and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which allows it to take part in international discussion on peace and human rights as it upholds its neutrality.
Historical Foundations
The Holy See takes its origin from St. Peter, the first pope, who was martyred and buried on Vatican Hill. Emperor Constantine I built the first church in memory of St. Peter in the 4th century, which made Rome's spiritual authority secure. This continued until 1870, when the Papal States ended with the Italian unification, and the Holy See had no temporal state for nearly sixty years.
The Vatican City State
In 1929, the Lateran Treaty with Italy established Vatican City as an independent state, ensuring the freedom of the pope to exercise authority free from external intervention. Despite its diminutive size, Vatican City remains the spiritual and administrative hub of Catholicism. Still, the Holy See's authority is not bound by borders, asserting its role as the church's everlasting heart, guiding Catholics worldwide on issues of faith, governance, and diplomacy.
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