ancient Roman
In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...
title '' legatus'') is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic faith and for the settlement of
This highest rank (literally "from the (pope's) side", i.e. "intimately" trusted) is normally awarded to a priest of cardinal rank. It is an exceptional investiture and can either be focused or broad in scope. The legate ''a latere'' is the alter ego of the pope, and as such, possesses full plenipotentiary powers.
''Legatus natus''
Literally "born legate", i.e. not nominated individually but ''ex officio'', namely a bishop holding this rank as a privilege of his see, e.g.
archbishop
In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
s of Canterbury (pre- Reformation), Prague, Esztergom, Udine, Salzburg, Gniezno and Cologne. The ''legatus natus'' would act as the pope's representative in his province, with a ''legatus a latere'' only being sent in extraordinary circumstances. Although limited in their jurisdiction compared to ''legati a latere'', a ''legatus natus'' was not subordinate to them.
''Legatus missus''
Literally "sent legate", possessing limited powers for the purpose of completing a specific mission. This commission is normally focused in scope and of short duration.
Gubernatorial legates
Some administrative (temporal) provinces of the Papal States in (mostly central) Italy were governed by a papal legate. This has been the case in
Benevento
Benevento (, , ; la, Beneventum) is a city and ''comune'' of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill above sea level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino (or Beneventano) and the ...
, in Pontecorvo (of Campagna e Marittima/of Frosinone) and in Viterbo. In four cases, including Bologna, this post was awarded exclusively to cardinals; the Velletri post was created for
Bartolomeo Pacca
Bartolomeo Pacca (27 December 1756, Benevento – 19 April 1844) was an Italian cardinal, scholar, and statesman as Cardinal Secretary of State. Pacca served as apostolic nuncio to Cologne, and later to Lisbon.
Biography
Bartolomeo Pacca was ...
.
The title could be changed to Apostolic Delegate, as happened in Frosinone (for Pontecorvo) in 1827.
See also
* Internuncio – a lower rank than Nuncio for a papal diplomatic representative, a title historically used at a time when states sent to some less important countries diplomatic representatives, called Envoys or Ministers, lower in rank than Ambassadors.
*
List of papal legates to England
This is a list of papal legates sent by the Holy See to England. The legature was suppressed under Henry VIII, and restored under his daughter Mary I of England, Mary I (reigned from 1553 to 1558).
Legates, 1066–1558
*1070 - Hubert, signa ...
