The Secretary of State of His Holiness (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: Secretarius Status Sanctitatis Suae, it, Segretario di Stato di Sua Santità), commonly known as the Cardinal Secretary of State, presides over the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

's Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important

dicastery A dicastery (from gr, δικαστήριον, dikastērion, law-court, from δικαστής, 'judge, juror') is the name of some departments of the Roman Curia. ''Pastor bonus'' ''Pastor bonus'' (1988), includes this definition: ''Praed ...

of the Roman Curia. The Secretariat of State performs all the political and diplomatic functions of the Holy See and the

Vatican City Vatican City (), officially the Vatican City State ( it, Stato della Città del Vaticano; la, Status Civitatis Vaticanae),—' * german: Vatikanstadt, cf. '—' (in Austria: ') * pl, Miasto Watykańskie, cf. '—' * pt, Cidade do Vati ...

. The Secretary of State is sometimes described as the

prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

of the Holy See, even though the nominal

head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a gro ...

of Vatican City is the President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State. The Secretary of State is currently Cardinal

Pietro Parolin Pietro Parolin OMRI (, ; born 17 January 1955) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. A cardinal since February 2014, he has served as the Vatican's Secretary of State since October 2013 and a member of the Council of Cardinal Advisers sin ...

Duties

The Cardinal Secretary is appointed by the

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

, and serves as one of his principal advisors. As one of the senior offices in the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, the secretary is required to be a cardinal. If the office is vacant, a non-cardinal may serve as pro-tem secretary of state, exercising the powers of the Secretary of State until a suitable replacement is found or the Pro-Secretary is made a cardinal in a subsequent

consistory Consistory is the anglicized form of the consistorium, a council of the closest advisors of the Roman emperors. It can also refer to: *A papal consistory, a formal meeting of the Sacred College of Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church * Consistor ...

. The Cardinal Secretary's term ends when the Pope who appointed him dies or leaves office. During the ''

sede vacante ''Sede vacante'' ( in Latin.) is a term for the state of a diocese while without a bishop. In the canon law of the Catholic Church, the term is used to refer to the vacancy of the bishop's or Pope's authority upon his death or resignation. Hi ...

'' period, the former secretary acts as a member of a commission with the

Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church The Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church is an office of the papal household that administers the property and revenues of the Holy See. Formerly, his responsibilities included the fiscal administration of the Patrimony of Saint Peter. As reg ...

and the former President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, which exercises some of the functions of the

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

of the Vatican City until a new Pope is elected. Once the new Pope is chosen, the former secretary's role in the commission likewise expires, though he can be re-appointed as Secretary of State.

History

The office traces its origins to that of ''secretarius intimus'', created by

Pope Leo X Pope Leo X ( it, Leone X; born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, 11 December 14751 December 1521) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1513 to his death in December 1521. Born into the prominent political an ...

in the early 16th century to handle correspondence with the

diplomatic missions of the Holy See This is a list of diplomatic missions of the Holy See. Since the fifth century, long before the founding of the Vatican City State in 1929, papal envoys (now known as nuncios) have represented the Holy See to foreign potentates. Additionally, p ...

, which were just beginning to become permanent postings instead of missions sent on particular occasions. At this stage the secretary was a fairly minor functionary, the Vatican administration being led by the

Cardinal Nephew A cardinal-nephew ( la, cardinalis nepos; it, cardinale nipote; es, valido de su tío; pt, cardeal-sobrinho; french: prince de fortune)Signorotto and Visceglia, 2002, p. 114. Modern French scholarly literature uses the term "cardinal-neveu'". ...

, the Pope's confidant usually taken from his family. The imprudence of

Pope Julius III Pope Julius III ( la, Iulius PP. III; it, Giulio III; 10 September 1487 – 23 March 1555), born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 February 1550 to his death in March 155 ...

in entrusting the office of Cardinal Nephew to his alleged lover

Innocenzo Ciocchi Del Monte Innocenzo Ciocchi del Monte ( – 1577) was a notorious cardinal whose relationship with Pope Julius III (born Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte) caused grave scandal in the early 16th century. Born in Borgo San Donnino (now Fidenza) to a beggar- ...

, a teenaged, virtually illiterate street urchin whom his brother had adopted a few years earlier, led to an upgrading of the Secretary's job, as the incumbent had to take over the duties the Cardinal Nephew was unfit for. By the time of

Pope Innocent X Pope Innocent X ( la, Innocentius X; it, Innocenzo X; 6 May 1574 – 7 January 1655), born Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (or Pamphili), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 15 September 1644 to his death in Januar ...

the Secretary of State was always himself a Cardinal, and

Pope Innocent XII Pope Innocent XII ( la, Innocentius XII; it, Innocenzo XII; 13 March 1615 – 27 September 1700), born Antonio Pignatelli, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1691 to his death in September 1700. He ...

abolished the office of Cardinal Nephew in 1692. From then onwards the Secretary of State has been the most important of the officials of the Holy See. In 1968,

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...

's apostolic constitution ''Regimini Ecclesiae Universae'' further enhanced the powers of the Secretary, placing him over all the other departments of the Roman Curia. In 1973 Paul further broadened the Secretaryship by abolishing the ancient office of

Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church The Apostolic ChanceryCanon 260, ''Code of Canon Law'' of 1917, translated by Edward N. Peters, Ignatius Press, 2001. ( la, Cancellaria Apostolica; also known as the "Papal" or "Roman Chanc(ell)ery") was a dicastery of the Roman Curia at the ser ...

and merging its functions into those of the Secretary.

List

Secretaries of State between 1551 and 1644

Girolamo Dandini Girolamo Dandini (1509 – 4 December 1559) was an Italian cardinal and the first to serve as Cardinal Secretary of State in the Roman Curia. By the time of Pope Innocent X (1644–1655), the secretary of state was always a cardinal, an ...

(1551–1555) *

Carlo Borromeo Charles Borromeo ( it, Carlo Borromeo; la, Carolus Borromeus; 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was the Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat ...

(1560–1565) *

Tolomeo Gallio Tolomeo Gallio (also spelled Gallo and Galli; 25 September 1527 – 3 or 4 February 1607) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), Cardinal. Biography In the time of Pope Gregory XIII, he acted as papal secretary of state (in office 1572 to 15 ...

(1565–1566) *

Girolamo Rusticucci Girolamo Rusticucci (1537 – 14 June 1603) was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal and bishop. He was personal secretary to Cardinal Michele Ghislieri, later Pope Pius V, who made Rusticucci a cardinal. He occupied numerous important positions, i ...

(1566–1572) *

(again) (1572–1585) *

Decio Azzolini (seniore) Decio Azzolini, seniore (1 July 1549 – 7 October 1587) was a Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the ...

(1585–1587) *

Alessandro Peretti di Montalto Alessandro Damasceni Peretti di Montalto (1571 – 2 June 1623) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal Bishop. He received the title by his uncle Felice Peretti after the latter was elected Pope Sixtus V on 24 April 1585, in the consistory on 13 May ...

(Cardinal-Nephew) (1587–1590) *

Paolo Emilio Sfondrati Paolo Emilio Sfondrati (1560 – 14 February 1618) was an Italian Cardinal. Biography Born to a noble family in Milan and the nephew of Pope Gregory XIV, he was the cardinal priest of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, papal legate in Bologna, member of ...

(Cardinal-Nephew) (1591) * Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti de Nuce (Cardinal-Nephew) (1591) * Pierbenedetto Peretti (1592–1593) *

Pietro Aldobrandini Pietro Aldobrandini (31 March 1571 – 10 February 1621) was an Italian cardinal and patron of the arts. Biography He was made a cardinal in 1593 by his uncle, Pope Clement VIII. He took over the duchy of Ferrara in 1598 when it fell to the P ...

(Cardinal-Nephew) and

Cinzio Passeri Aldobrandini Cinzio Aldobrandini (1551 – 1 January 1610) was an Italian cardinal. Name In some documents he is known as Cinzio Personeni Aldobrandini or Cinzio Passeri Aldobrandini because, after settling in Romagna, the family varied its name according to ...

(Cardinal-Nephew) (1593–1605) *

Roberto Ubaldini Roberto Ubaldini (1581 – 22 April 1635) was a bishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. Biography He was born in Florence. He was appointed Bishop of Montepulciano in 1607, and ordained to that post on 3 Feb 1608 by Jacques Davy du Perron, ...

(1605) *

Erminio Valenti Erminio Valenti (1564 – 22 August 1618) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 18 Sep 1605, he was consecrated bishop by Pietro Aldobrandini, Archbishop of Ravenna, with Ludovico de Torres, Archbishop of Monreale, and Laudivio Zacchia ...

(1605) *Lanfranco Margotti (1605–1611) * Porifrio Feliciani (1611–1621) * Giovanni Battista Agucchi (1621–1623) * Lorenzo Magalotti (1623–1628) *

Lorenzo Azzolini Lorenzo may refer to: People * Lorenzo (name) Places Peru * San Lorenzo Island (Peru), sometimes referred to as the island of Lorenzo United States * Lorenzo, Illinois * Lorenzo, Texas * San Lorenzo, California, formerly Lorenzo * Lorenzo ...

(1628–1632) *

Pietro Benessa Pietro is an Italian masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: People * Pietro I Candiano (c. 842–887), briefly the 16th Doge of Venice * Pietro Tribuno (died 912), 17th Doge of Venice, from 887 to his death * Pietro II Can ...

(1632–1634) *

Francesco Adriano Ceva Francesco Adriano Ceva (1580 - 12 October 1655) was a Catholic Cardinal from Savoy. Francesco Adriano Ceva was born in 1580 in Mondovì, Savoy to the House of Ceva; Marquises of Ceva. His birth name may have been ''Hadriano'' or simply ''Adriano' ...

(1634–1643) * Giovanni Battista Spada (1643–1644)

Cardinal Secretaries of State since 1644

Giovanni Giacomo Panciroli Giovanni Giacomo Panciroli (1587 – 3 September 1651) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Cardinal Secretary of State. Life Panciroli was born in 1587 in Rome and was educated there, receiving a doctorate '' utroque iure'' in 1605. He b ...

(1644–1651) #

Fabio Chigi Pope Alexander VII ( it, Alessandro VII; 13 February 159922 May 1667), born Fabio Chigi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 7 April 1655 to his death in May 1667. He began his career as a vice-papal legate, and ...

(1651–1655); then elected Pope Alexander VII (1655–1667) #

Giulio Rospigliosi Pope Clement IX ( la, Clemens IX; it, Clemente IX; 28 January 1600 – 9 December 1669), born Giulio Rospigliosi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 20 June 1667 to his death in December 1669. Biography Ear ...

(1655–1667); then elected

Pope Clement IX Pope Clement IX ( la, Clemens IX; it, Clemente IX; 28 January 1600 – 9 December 1669), born Giulio Rospigliosi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 20 June 1667 to his death in December 1669. Biography Ear ...

(1667–1669) #

Decio Azzolini (iuniore) Decio Azzolino (11 April 1623 – 8 June 1689) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal, code-breaker, investigator and leader of the Squadrone Volante. Early life Azzolino was born at Fermo, the son of Pompeo Azzolino and Giulia Ruffo. He was the grea ...

(1667–1669) # Federico Borromeo (iuniore) (1670–1673) #

Francesco Nerli (iuniore) Francesco Nerli, iuniore (12 June 1636 – 8 April 1708) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. Biography On 6 Jul 1670, he was consecrated bishop by Carlo Carafa della Spina, Cardinal-Priest of Santa Susanna, with Giambattista Spínola (seniore), Ar ...

(1673–1676) #

Alderano Cybo Alderano Cybo (sometimes Alderano Cibo or Alderano Cybo-Malaspina) (16 July 1613 – 22 July 1700) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal. He served as the Secretary of State of Pope Innocent XI. Early life Cybo was born 16 July 1613 in Genoa, the f ...

(1676–1689) #

Giambattista Rubini Giambattista Rubini (1642 – 17 February 1707) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church from 1690 to 1707. Early life and career Giambattista Rubini was born in Venice in 1642, the second son of Donato Rubini and Cristina Medici. His grandmoth ...

(1689–1691) # Fabrizio Spada (1691–1700) #

Fabrizio Paolucci Fabrizio Paolucci (2 April 1651 – 12 June 1726) was an Italian cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church, appointed by Pope Innocent XII. Biography Born at Forlì, he went to Rome at the age of eight, in 1659, to be educated by his grand-uncle ...

(1700–1721) (first time) # Giorgio Spinola (1721–1724) #

(1724–1726) (second time) # Niccolò Maria Lercari (1726–1730) # Antonio Banchieri (1730–1733) # Giuseppe Firrao, Sr. (1733–1740) #

Silvio Valenti Gonzaga Silvio Valenti Gonzaga (1 March 1690 – 28 August 1756) was an Italian nobleman and Catholic cardinal. Gonzaga was born in Mantua. He served as papal nuncio to Flanders, 1731–1736, and was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 1738 by Pop ...

(1740–1756) # Alberico Archinto (1756–1758) # Ludovico Maria Torriggiani (1758–1769) #

Lazzaro Opizio Pallavicini Lazzaro Opizio Pallavicini or Pallavicino (30 October 1719 – 23 February 1785) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church starting in 26 September 1766. He was born in Genoa, Italy. He was the nephew of Cardinal Lazzaro Pallavicino (1602-1680). H ...

(1769–1785) # Ignazio Boncompagni Ludovisi (1785–1789) #

Francesco Saverio de Zelada Francesco Saverio eZelada (27 August 1717, in Rome – 19 December 1801, in Rome) was a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, born of a Spanish family, who served in the Papal Curia and in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He was educat ...

(1789–1796) #

Ignazio Busca Ignazio Busca (31 August 1731 in Milan – 12 August 1803 in Rome) was an Italian cardinal and Secretary of State of the Holy See. He was the last son of Lodovico Busca, marquess of Lomagna and Bianca Arconati Visconti. he took a degree in '' u ...

(1796–1797) # Giuseppe Doria Pamphili (1797–1799) #

Ercole Consalvi Ercole Consalvi (8 June 1757 – 24 January 1824) was a deacon and cardinal of the Catholic Church, who served twice as Cardinal Secretary of State for the Papal States and who played a crucial role in the post-Napoleonic reassertion of the l ...

, pro-secretary (1800); secretary (1800–1806) # Filippo Casoni (1806–1808) # Giulio Gabrielli the Younger (1808–1814) - Giuseppe Doria Pamphilj, pro-secretary (1808) - Bartolomeo Pacca, pro-secretary (1808–1814) #

(1814–1823) #

Giulio Maria della Somaglia Giulio Maria della Somaglia (29 July 1744 – 2 April 1830) was an Italian cardinal. He was, in his later life — a staunch '' zelante'' cardinal who, as Secretary of State under Pope Leo XII, helped enforce an authoritarian regime in t ...

(28 September 1823 – 17 January 1828) #

Tommaso Bernetti Tommaso Bernetti (29 December 1779 – 21 March 1852) was an Italian Roman Catholic prelate and cardinal who served in the Secretariat of State and the Roman Curia during his time in the cardinalate. He came from Fermo and was named a cardinal ...

, pro-secretary (17 June 1828 – 10 February 1829) (first time) #

Giuseppe Albani Giuseppe (Andrea) Albani (13 September 1750 – 3 December 1834) was an Italian Roman Catholic Cardinal. He played an important role in the elections of Leo XII, Pius VIII and Gregory XVI. Biography Albani was born in Rome into a noble fam ...

(31 March 1829 – 30 November 1830) #

, pro-secretary (21 February – 10 August 1831); cardinal secretary (10 August 1831 – 12 January 1836) (second time) #

Luigi Lambruschini Luigi Lambruschini (6 March 1776 – 12 May 1854) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church in the mid nineteenth century. He was a member of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul and served in the diplomatic corps of the Holy See. Biograph ...

(12 January 1836 – 1 June 1846) #

Tommaso Pasquale Gizzi Tommaso Pasquale Gizzi (1787–1849) was an Italian prelate who rose to the highest ranks of the Catholic Church during the first half of the 19th century. Life and career Born in Ceccano, near Frosinone, at the time part of the Papal States, h ...

(8 August 1846 – 5 July 1847) #

Gabriele Ferretti Gabriele Ferretti (; Ancona, 31 January 1795 – Rome, 13 September 1860) was an Italian Catholic cardinal and Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals. Personal life He was born into nobility, the son of Palatine Count ''Liverotto Ferret ...

(17 July 1847 – 31 December 1848) # Giuseppe Bofondi (1 February – 10 March 1848) #

Giacomo Antonelli Giacomo Antonelli (2 April 1806 – 6 November 1876) was an Italian cardinal deacon. He was the Cardinal Secretary of State from 1848 until his death; he played a key role in Italian politics, resisting the unification of Italy and affectin ...

(10 March – 3 May 1848) (first time) # Anton Orioli (5 May – 4 June 1848), cardinal secretary ad interim #

Giovanni Soglia Ceroni Giovanni Soglia Ceroni (10 October 1779 – 12 August 1856) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church. Biography He was ordained a priest on 1 January 1803. appointed him Titular Bishop of Ephesus on 2 October 1826 and ordained a bishop on 2 ...

(4 June – 29 November 1848) #

(29 November 1848 – 6 November 1876) (second time) # Giovanni Simeoni (18 December 1876 – 7 February 1878)

In popular culture

Silvio Orlando Silvio Orlando (born 30 June 1957) is an Italian actor. Orlando was born and raised in Naples, where he started acting in theatre in 1976. He made his film debut in 1988 with a supporting role in the comedy '' Kamikazen: Last Night in Milan'' ...

portrayed fictional Cardinal Secretary of State Voiello in the 2016

Sky Italia Sky Italia S.r.l. is an Italian satellite television platform owned by the American media conglomerate Comcast. Sky Italia also broadcasts three national free-to-air television channels: TV8, Cielo and Sky TG24. As of 2018, following an ag ...

Sky Atlantic Sky Atlantic is a British pay television channel owned by Sky Group Limited broadcast in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The channel is primarily dedicated to imported programmes from the United States, and holds the domestic rights to HB ...

HBO

Canal+ Canal+ (Canal Plus, , meaning 'Channel Plus'; sometimes abbreviated C+ or Canal) is a French premium television channel launched in 1984. It is 100% owned by the Groupe Canal+, which in turn is owned by Vivendi. The channel broadcasts several ki ...

co-produced television series ''

The Young Pope ''The Young Pope'' is a drama television series created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino for Sky Atlantic, HBO, and Canal+. The series stars Jude Law as the disruptive Pope Pius XIII and Diane Keaton as his confidante, Sister Mary, in a Vatic ...

'' and the 2019 follow-up series ''

The New Pope ''The New Pope'' is a drama television series created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino for Sky Atlantic, HBO and Canal+. It is a continuation of the 2016 series ''The Young Pope'', originally announced as its second season. The nine-episode ser ...

''.

References

External links

Secretary of State: a Top Collaborator
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cardinal Secretary Of State 1551 establishments in the Papal States