Vatican City

Owner of Unique Ecclesiastical Government

Lydia Terisno
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Watykan_Plac_sw_Piora_kolumnada_Berniniego.JPG

General Information
It became a country in February 11th, 1929 y Smallest country in size, only 110 acres y There are no political parties or judicial branches y The Pope is the sovereign of the state y Current Pope is Pope Benedict XVI from Germany
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Government System
Vatican City is a Theocratic and nonhereditary monarchy y Definition of Theocratic monarchy:
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a form of government in which a state is understood as governed by immediate divine guidance especially a state ruled by clergy, in this case, the Pope
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The Pope has the principal legislative, executive, and judicial power over Vatican City

Political System
The political system is set up much like any other nations with a legislative, judicial and executive branch y The difference is that the Pope is the one to appoint all of the offices y The Pope is elected in the Conclave, composed of all the cardinal electors (now limited to all the cardinals below the age of 80),after the death or resignation of the previous Pope
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Head of State
The Pope is head of state of Vatican City, functions dependent on his primordial functions as bishop of diocese of Rome y Principal subordinate government official for Vatican City is President of Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State y The Pope exercises his authority through the Roman Curia and the Papal Civil Service
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Roman Curia
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The Roman Curia consists of the Secretariat of State, nine Congregations, three Tribunals, 12 Pontifical Councils, and a complex of offices that administer Church affairs at the highest level

Major Curial Institutions

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The most active major curial institutions:

the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which oversees Church doctrine the Congregation for Bishops, which coordinates the appointment of bishops worldwide the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, which oversees all missionary activities Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, which deals with international peace and social issues

Legislative Authority
Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, consisting of a body of cardinals appointed by the Pope for five-year periods y Laws and regulations proposed by the Commission must be submitted to the pope through the Secretariat of State prior to being made public and taking effect
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Executive Authority
Executive Authority is delegated to Governorate of Vatican City, which consists of the President of Pontifical Commission, General Secretary, and Vice General Secretary y They are appointed by the Pope for five years term y Current President: Cardinal Giovanni Lajolo
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President of Pontifical Commision

He reports all important matters to Secretariat of State, the Popes chief everyday advisory body y Administrations and departments of Vatican City's government, including the Corpo della Gendarmeria, the Vatican Observatory, the Vatican Museums, and the Department of Pontifical Villas (which administers Castel Gandolfo) report to the Governorate
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Structure of Governorate
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Legal office Office for Personnel Office for Civil Records Archives Accounting Office Numismatic and Philatelic office Post and Telegraph office Shipping office Police Department

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Tourist Information Office Department of Museums and Galleries Department of Econimic Services Department of Technical Services Vatican Observatory Castel Gandolfo Office for Archeological Research

Foreign Relation
Foreign relation and diplomatic matters are taken care entrusted to the Secretariat of State y On September 15, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone as Secretary of State (a role equivalent to that of prime minister) and appointed Archbishop Dominique Mamberti as Secretary for Relations with States (equivalent to foreign minister
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Judicial Function
The legal system governing church matters is founded in canon, or ecclesiastical, law but judicial matters outside the Church are dealt with by the Italian judiciary in Rome y Define ecclesiastical:
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A government administrated by the church

Tribunals Responsible for Judicial Power

The Apostolic Penitentiary deals with matters of conscience y The Roman Rota is responsible for appeals, including annulments of marriage y The Apostolic Signatura is the final court of appeal
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Political Party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office y There are no political parties in the country, but all cardinals under the age of 80 have the vote in electoral issues within the Church
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Reason Behind Absence of Political Party

Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals, who vote until one candidate for the position of Supreme Pontiff achieves a two-thirds majority. Once elected, the Pope will rule the country until his death y Legislative, executive, and judicial officials are chosen and dismissed by the Pope y Government Policies are influenced by the church, not political parties
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Finance
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A committee of 15 cardinals, chaired by the Secretary of State, has final oversight authority over all financial matters of the Holy See, including those of the Institute for Works of Religion (Istituto per le Opere di Religione, IOR), the Vatican bank

World Affairs
The Vatican is neutral, with observer status in many international organizations, but papal opinion greatly influences the world's one billion Catholics y The present pope has traveled more extensively than any other, completing his 100th foreign visit (to Croatia) in 2003. Trips are used to promote political as well as religious dialogue
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Defense
The Vatican is strictly neutral territory. Under the 1954 Hague Convention, it is recognized as "a moral, artistic, and cultural patrimony worthy of being respected as a treasure for all mankind. y Vatican City has no armed force of its own, the Swiss Guard being a corps responsible for the security of the Pope
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References
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Vatic an_City http://dev.prenhall.com/divisions/hss/worldref erence/VA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party http://www.vaticanotours.com/vaticantour.html http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry /Holy_See#Political_system

References (cont) (cont)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontifical_Co mmission_for_Vatican_City_State y http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/econ omies/Europe/Vatican-City-POLITICSGOVERNMENT-ANDTAXATION.html#ixzz1J5R9G7Z3 y http://www.content4reprint.com/recreati on-and-leisure/travel/answering-yourvatican-city-questions.htm
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