![Diplomatic Missions of Holy See](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Diplomatic_Missions_of_Holy_See.png)
This is a list of diplomatic missions of the Holy See. Since the fifth century, long before the founding of 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 ...
State in 1929, papal envoys (now known as
nuncio
An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international or ...
s) have represented 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 ...
to foreign potentates. Additionally, papal representatives known not as nuncios but as apostolic delegates ensure contact between the Holy See and the Catholic Church in countries that do not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See.
At present, there is one residential apostolic delegate, for Jerusalem and Palestine, as well as non-residential delegates for four countries (
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...
,
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
,
Mauritania
Mauritania (; ar, موريتانيا, ', french: Mauritanie; Berber: ''Agawej'' or ''Cengit''; Pulaar: ''Moritani''; Wolof: ''Gànnaar''; Soninke:), officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania ( ar, الجمهورية الإسلامية ...
, and
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
) and for the territories and countries without diplomatic relations with the Holy See in three regions (the
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
, the Caribbean, the Pacific Ocean). For
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
, the 21st-century appointees of the Holy See have been given the title "pontifical representative". In keeping with the "one China" policy, no representative is appointed for
mainland China
"Mainland China" is a geopolitical term defined as the territory governed by the People's Republic of China (including islands like Hainan or Chongming), excluding dependent territories of the PRC, and other territories within Greater China. ...
, and the Holy See is represented in
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
by an apostolic nunciature, headed not by a nuncio, but only by a
chargé d'affaires
A ''chargé d'affaires'' (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador ...
.
In addition to the countries mentioned above that have apostolic delegations, the following nations do not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See:
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
,
Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous ...
,
North Korea
North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...
,
Oman
Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
,
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
, and
Tuvalu
Tuvalu ( or ; formerly known as the Ellice Islands) is an island country and microstate in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean. Its islands are situated about midway between Hawaii and Australia. They lie east-northeast ...
.
Description
In most respects the status of the diplomatic missions of 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 ...
are identical with those of other countries, with the exception of the nomenclature: apostolic nuncios have ambassadorial rank and apostolic nunciatures are ranked as embassies. However, in most countries of central and western Europe and of central and southern America, as well as in a few countries elsewhere, the nuncio is granted precedence over other ambassadors and is dean of the diplomatic corps from the moment he presents his credentials. The Holy See, which does not issue
visa
Visa most commonly refers to:
*Visa Inc., a US multinational financial and payment cards company
** Visa Debit card issued by the above company
** Visa Electron, a debit card
** Visa Plus, an interbank network
*Travel visa, a document that allows ...
s, does not have
consulate
A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of diplomatic mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth coun ...
s.
Apostolic delegates and their missions do not have diplomatic status as nuncios and nunciatures do.
In countries that allow it, the apostolic nunciature is sometimes, though rarely, located outside the capital, perhaps in towns with particularly important religious connections, such as the village of
Rabat
Rabat (, also , ; ar, الرِّبَاط, er-Ribât; ber, ⵕⵕⴱⴰⵟ, ṛṛbaṭ) is the capital city of Morocco and the country's seventh largest city with an urban population of approximately 580,000 (2014) and a metropolitan populati ...
in
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
, the site of
Saint Paul
Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...
's grotto, and
Harissa
Harissa ( ar, هريسة ''harīsa'', from Maghrebi Arabic) is a hot chili pepper paste, native to the Maghreb. The main ingredients are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers (), spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander ...
in Lebanon where
Maronite
The Maronites ( ar, الموارنة; syr, ܡܖ̈ܘܢܝܐ) are a Christian ethnoreligious group native to the Eastern Mediterranean and Levant region of the Middle East, whose members traditionally belong to the Maronite Church, with the larges ...
,
Greek Orthodox
The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek language, Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the Eastern Orthodox Church, entire body of Orthodox (Chalced ...
and
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
el, Μελχιτική Ελληνική Καθολική Εκκλησία
, image = Melkite Greek Catholic Church, Damascus, Syria.jpg
, imagewidth = 200px
, alt =
, caption =
, abbreviatio ...
authorities are located. In other countries that is not permitted: when India opened diplomatic relations with the Holy See, the apostolic delegation moved from
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
to the capital,
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
; and in Australia the mission moved from
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
to
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
. In
Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, the nunciature is located in
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...
.
Listed below are the Holy See's apostolic nunciatures, apostolic delegations, and observer or representative missions to international governmental organizations — such as the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
, the
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe (CoE; french: Conseil de l'Europe, ) is an international organisation founded in the wake of World War II to uphold European Convention on Human Rights, human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. ...
and the
Arab League
The Arab League ( ar, الجامعة العربية, ' ), formally the League of Arab States ( ar, جامعة الدول العربية, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, E ...
.
[Pages 1343–1372 of the 2007 edition ()]
Africa
Americas
Asia
Europe
Oceania
*
**
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
(
Apostolic Nunciature)
*
**
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
(
Apostolic Nunciature)
*
**
Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New Z ...
(
Apostolic Nunciature)
Multilateral organisations
* United Nations, New York (
Permanent Observer
Observer status is a privilege granted by some organizations to non-members to give them an ability to participate in the organization's activities. Observer status is often granted by intergovernmental organizations (IGO) to non-member parties and ...
)
* United Nations, Geneva (
Permanent Observer
Observer status is a privilege granted by some organizations to non-members to give them an ability to participate in the organization's activities. Observer status is often granted by intergovernmental organizations (IGO) to non-member parties and ...
)
* Council of Europe, Strasbourg (
Permanent Observer
Observer status is a privilege granted by some organizations to non-members to give them an ability to participate in the organization's activities. Observer status is often granted by intergovernmental organizations (IGO) to non-member parties and ...
)
* Paris (
Permanent Observer of the Holy See to UNESCO
The Permanent Observer of Holy See to UNESCO is the representative of the Holy See to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which is based in Paris. The Church also has representatives at the headquarters of ...
)
* Nairobi UN agencies: UNEP and UN-Habitat
* Madrid to UNWTO
* Rome to FAO and food programs
* Vienna (Perm Rep/Perm Obs to International orgs & U.N. in Vienna)
*
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (French: Organisation des Nations unies pour le développement industriel; French/Spanish acronym: ONUDI) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that assists countries in e ...
(UNIDO)
*
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was established in 1957 ...
(IAEA)
*
International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM)
*
International Institute for the Unification of Private Law
UNIDROIT (formally, the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law; French: ''Institut international pour l'unification du droit privé'') is an intergovernmental organization whose objective is to harmonize international privat ...
(UNIDROIT)
*
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is a United Nations agency that provides services and advice concerning migration to governments and migrants, including internally displaced persons, refugees, and migrant workers.
The IOM was ...
(IOM)
*
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an intergovernmental organisation and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which entered into force on 29 April 1997. The OPCW, with its 193 member ...
(OPCW)
*
(CTBTO)
;Regional
*
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
(ASEAN)
*
Economic Community of West African States
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS; also known as in French and Portuguese) is a regional political union, political and economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa. Collectively, these countries comprise an ...
(ECOWAS)
*
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is the world's largest regional security-oriented intergovernmental organization with observer status at the United Nations. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, prom ...
(OSCE)
Gallery
File:Be Apostolic nunciature 01.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Berlin
File:Vatikanische Apostolische Nuntiatur in Bern, Schweiz.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Bern
File:Nunciatura-Apostolica.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Bogotá
File:Nunciatura apostolica BSB 02.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Brasília
File:CABA - Recoleta - Nunciatura de la ciudad de Buenos Aires.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Buenos Aires
File:Apostolic Nuncio in Canberra.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Canberra
File:Apostolic Nunciature, Jakarta.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Jakarta
File:Carnegielaan 5, Den Haag 02.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in The Hague
File:Embassy of Vatican in Kyiv.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Kyiv
File:Lisboa nuncjatura.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Lisbon
File:Apostolic Nunciature (geograph 3452459).jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in London
File:Nunciatura Apostólica de la Santa Sede en Ciudad de México.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Mexico City
File:Apostolic nunciature in Minsk, Belarus 2.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Minsk
File:Nunciatura apostólica Montevideo.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Montevideo
File:Moscow, Tikhvinskaya 37-7.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Moscow
File:Papal Nuncio, Ottawa.JPG, Apostolic Nunciature in Ottawa
File:Nonciature apostolique en France, Paris.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Paris
File:Apostolic nunciature Prague 3044.JPG, Apostolic Nunciature in Prague
File:Apostolic Nunciature in Pretoria.JPG, Apostolic Nunciature in Pretoria
File:Apostolic nunciature, Sarajevo 2.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Sarajevo
File:Holy See Embassy, Seoul.png, Apostolic Nunciature in Seoul
File:NunciatureSofia.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Sofia
File:Apostolic_Nunciature_to_China_(2015-).jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Taipei
File:Israel Batch 1 (85).JPG, Apostolic Nunciature in Tel Aviv
File:Ambasada e Vatikanit, Tirane.JPG, Apostolic Nunciature in Tirana
File:ローマ法王庁大使館正門.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Tokyo
File:Rabat Malta Walk 19.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Valletta
File:Apostolische Nuntiator Wien DSC 9195w.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Vienna
File:Apostolic Nunciature to Lithuania in Vilnius.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Vilnius
File:Nuncjatura Stolicy Apostolskiej w Polsce 2018.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Warsaw
File:ApostolicNunciatureWashingtonDC.jpg, Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C.
Nunciatures that have ceased to exist
The following nunciatures are among those that have ceased to exist:
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Bavaria
Apostolic may refer to:
The Apostles
An Apostle meaning one sent on a mission:
*The Twelve Apostles of Jesus, or something related to them, such as the Church of the Holy Apostles
* Apostolic succession, the doctrine connecting the Christian Chur ...
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Cologne
The Apostolic Nunciature to Cologne (also it, Nunziatura di Germania inferiore, i.e. ''Nunciature of Lower Germany'') was an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church established in 1584. The nuncios were accredited to the Electorate of ...
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Czechoslovakia The Apostolic Nuncio to Czechoslovakia was an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church, established in 1920 and lasting, with significant interruptions, until 1993. It was a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called ...
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Florence
The Apostolic Nunciature to Florence was an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church to the Republic of Florence, Italy and later the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. It was a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostol ...
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Gratz
*
Apostolic Nunciature to the Emperor
The Apostolic Nuncio to Austria is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.
It originated as ...
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Naples
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Prussia
The Apostolic Nunciature to Prussia provided representation on behalf of the Holy See to the Free State of Prussia. It was based in Berlin.
History
Pope Pius XI established the nunciature in 1925 at the request of the Weimar Republic, which int ...
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Savoy
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Venice
*
Apostolic Nunciature to Yugoslavia The Apostolic Nunciature to Yugoslavia was an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Yugoslavia. It was a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.
The Kingdom of S ...
See also
*
Apostolic Nunciature
*
Foreign relations of the Holy See
The Holy See has long Legal status of the Holy See, been recognised as a subject of international law and as an active participant in international relations. One observer has stated that its interaction with the world has, in the period since Worl ...
*
Holy See and the United Nations
The Holy See is not a member of the United Nations (not having applied for membership) but was granted '' permanent observer state'' (i.e., non-member state) status on 6 April 1964. In that capacity, it has the right to attend all sessions of th ...
*
Index of Vatican City-related articles
Index (or its plural form indices) may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Index (''A Certain Magical Index''), a character in the light novel series ''A Certain Magical Index''
* The Index, an item on a Halo megastru ...
*
Legal status of the Holy See
The legal status of the Holy See, the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, both in state practice and according to the writing of modern legal scholars, is that of a full subject of public international law, with rights an ...
*
List of heads of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See
The following is a sortable list of the heads of the diplomatic mission of the Holy See. An apostolic nuncio (also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic repres ...
Notes
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Diplomatic Missions Of The Holy See
Catholic ecclesiastical titles
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 ...
Diplomatic missions
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...