The head of the apostolic nunciature is called a nuncio, an ecclesiastical diplomatic title. A papal nuncio (officially known as an apostolic nuncio) is a permanent diplomatic representative (head of diplomatic mission) of the Holy See to a state or to one of two international intergovernmental organizations, the European Union or ASEAN, having the rank of an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary, and the ecclesiastical rank of titulararchbishop. Papal representatives to other intergovernmental organizations are known as "permanent observers" or "delegates".
In several countries that have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, the apostolic nuncio is ipso facto the dean of the diplomatic corps. The nuncio is, in such a country, first in the order of precedence among all the diplomats accredited to the country, and he speaks for the diplomatic corps in matters of diplomatic privilege and protocol. Most countries that concede priority to the nuncio are officially Catholic, but some are not.
In addition, the nuncio serves as the liaison between the Holy See and the Church in that particular nation. The nuncio has an important role in the selection of bishops.
Pacific Ocean: Countries of the Pacific Ocean are currently represented overall by the nuncio to New Zealand, who serves as the apostolic delegate in the Pacific Ocean.[3][4]
Of entities that have established diplomatic relations with the Holy See, there is no representative accredited to the Order of Malta (which is also headquartered in Rome).[5]
The Holy See does not have relations with fifteen countries:
An apostolic delegate may be sent to liaison between the Catholic Church and a country with which the Holy See has no diplomatic ties, though not accredited to the government of the country. Apostolic delegates have no formal diplomatic status, though in some countries they have some diplomatic privileges.
Africa:
Comoros, Mauritania, Somalia
Asia:
The Arabian Peninsula, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam
the Americas:
the Antilles (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Saint Vincent and Grenadines)
An apostolic 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 organization. A nuncio is appointed by and represents the Holy See, and is the head of the diplomatic mission, called an apostolic nunciature, which is the equivalent of an embassy. The Holy See is legally distinct from the Vatican City or the Catholic Church. In modern times, a nuncio is usually an archbishop.
The Catholic Nunciature to Antigua and Barbuda is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the Antigua and Barbuda and is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church with the rank of an embassy. The title Apostolic Nuncio to Antigua and Barbuda is held by the prelate appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Trinidad and Tobago; he resides in Trinidad and Tobago and also serves as apostolic nuncio to Belize, Grenada, Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, and as apostolic delegate in the Antilles.
The Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines is a top-level diplomatic mission assigned by the Holy See to the Philippines, located at 2140 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila.
The Holy See has long 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 World War II, been at its highest level ever. It is distinct from the city-state of the Vatican City, over which the Holy See has "full ownership, exclusive dominion, and sovereign authority and jurisdiction".
Leopoldo Girelli is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who serves as the apostolic nuncio to India and Nepal. He was nuncio to Israel and Cyprus as well as apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine from 2017 to 2021. He has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1987 and previously served as nuncio to Indonesia, East Timor, and Singapore.
Santiago de Wit Gúzman is a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
The Apostolic Nunciature to Trinidad and Tobago is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The Apostolic Nuncio to Trinidad and Tobago is usually also the Apostolic Nuncio to Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and the Apostolic Delegate to the Antilles upon his appointment to said nations. The nuncio resides in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The Apostolic Delegation to the Pacific Ocean is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church. It represents the interests of the Holy See in a defined region in countries with which diplomatic relations have not yet been established. It is led by a Delegate who holds a number of other titles within the diplomatic service of the Holy See, including that of Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand. He resides in Wellington, New Zealand.
The Apostolic Delegation to the Antilles represents the interests of the Holy See to officials of the Catholic Church, civil society, and government offices in several nations in the region with which the Holy See has not established diplomatic relations. The position of Apostolic Delegate is not a diplomatic one, though the Delegate is a member of the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
