"pope was represented in each province by a governor, a number of styles arose; papal legate, as in the former principality of Benevento, or Bologna, Romagna, and the March of Ancona; or papal delegate, as in the former duchy of Pontecorvo and in the Campagne and Maritime Province. Other titles like Papal Vicar, Vicar General, and several noble titles like ""count"" or even ""prince"" were used. However, throughout the Papal States' history many warlords and even bandit chieftains ruled cities and small duchies with no title bestowed by the Pope. Historically the Papal States maintained military forces composed of volunteers"
"than bring Christendom closer together. Papal legates often summoned legatine councils, which dealt with church government and other ecclesiastical issues. According to Pope Gregory VII, writing in the ""Dictatus papae"", a papal legate ""presides over all bishops in a council, even if he is inferior in rank, and he can pronounce sentence of deposition against them"". During the Middle Ages, a legatine council was the usual means that a papal legate imposed his directives. There are several ranks of papal legates in diplomacy, some of which are no longer used. The most common form of papal legate today is the"
"yet assumed it. A legate a latere is a temporary papal representative or a representative for a special purpose. Historically, the most important type of apocrisiary (a title also applying to representatives exchanged by a high prelate with a Patriarch) was the equivalent of a nuncio, sent by the Pope to the Byzantine Empire; during the fifth and sixth centuries, when much of Italy remained under Byzantine control, several Popes were former apocrisiaries. Pro-nuncio was a term used from 1965 to 1991 for a papal diplomatic representative of full ambassadorial rank accredited to a country that did not accord him"
"of a major religious effort, such as an (ecumenical) council, a crusade to the Holy Land, or even against a heresy such as the Cathars. The term ""legation"" is applied both to a legate's mandate and to the territory concerned (such as a state, or an ecclesiastical province). The relevant adjective is ""legatine"". In the High Middle Ages, papal legates were often used to strengthen the links between Rome and the many parts of Christendom. More often than not, legates were learned men and skilled diplomats who were not from the country they were accredited to. The Italian-born Guala Bicchieri"
"the pope through an act of the secretary of state and who was invariably a prelate. Only in case the prelate was a cardinal did he assume the title of legate (""legato""), and cardinals could only be appointed to the delegations of the first class. Each delegate or legate was assisted by two assessors appointed by the pope, one for civil law matters and one for penal law matters, and by a locally selected Governmental Congregation (""Congregazione governativa"" ), the composition of which varied according to the class of the delegation: In each delegation, the administration of justice was devolved"
"Papal diplomacy 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 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. A nuncio is usually an archbishop. An apostolic nuncio is generally equivalent in rank to that"
"the phrase Papal legate. Legatus A legatus (anglicized as legate) was a high-ranking Roman military officer in the Roman Army, equivalent to a modern high-ranking general officer. Initially used to delegate power, the term became formalized under Augustus as the officer in command of a legion. From the times of the Roman Republic, legates had received large shares of the militaries rewards at the end of a successful campaign, which made the position a lucrative one, so it could often attract even distinguished consuls or other high-ranking political figures within Roman politics (e.g., the consul Lucius Julius Caesar volunteered late"
"(""Latin"" for ""Roman Court""), similar to a centralised government, with the Cardinal Secretary of State as its chief administrator, in addition to various dicasteries, comparable to ministries and executive departments. Papal elections are carried out by the College of Cardinals. Although the Holy See is sometimes metonymically referred to as the ""Vatican"", the Vatican City State was distinctively established with the Lateran Treaty (1929) between the Holy See and Italy to ensure the temporal, diplomatic, and spiritual independence of the Papacy. As such, ambassadors are officially accredited to the Holy See and not the Vatican City State. Conversely, Papal nuncios"
"central and western Europe and in the Americas) give precedence to the Nuncio over other diplomatic representatives, according him the position of Dean of the Diplomatic Corps reserved in other countries for the longest-serving resident ambassador. A Holy See Representative is accredited to an international organisation (mostly UN-related or regional) where other states dispatch a Permanent Representative, usually at ambassadorial level (Titular Archbishop, equivalent a papal Nuncio). Papal diplomacy 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 representative of the Holy See"
"Apostolic Nunciature An Apostolic Nunciature is a top-level diplomatic mission of the Holy See, equivalent to an embassy. However, it does not issue visas, nor does it have consulates. 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 titular archbishop. Papal representatives to"
"legate ""a latere"" is the alter ego of the Pope, and as such, possesses full plenipotentiary powers. 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. archbishops 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"" were not subordinate to them. Literally ""sent legate"", possessing limited powers for the"
"Pontificate Pontificate is the form of government used in Vatican City. The word came to English from French and simply means ""Papacy"" or """"To perform the functions of the Pope or other high official in the Church."""" Since there is only one Bishop of Rome, or Pope, ""pontificate"" is sometimes also used to describe the era of a Pope. It must not be confused with the Holy See, which since ancient times referred to the episcopal see of Rome, while the Pontificate in the Vatican City is ""the type of government used there"", and is neither a kingdom nor a"
"republic. Pontificate Pontificate is the form of government used in Vatican City. The word came to English from French and simply means ""Papacy"" or """"To perform the functions of the Pope or other high official in the Church."""" Since there is only one Bishop of Rome, or Pope, ""pontificate"" is sometimes also used to describe the era of a Pope. It must not be confused with the Holy See, which since ancient times referred to the episcopal see of Rome, while the Pontificate in the Vatican City is ""the type of government used there"", and is neither a kingdom nor"
"Papal apocrisiarius The apocrisiarius or apocrisiary was the legate from the Pope to the Patriarch of Constantinople, circa 452-743, equivalent to the modern nunciature. The term of the office comes from the Greek word ""apokrisis"", ""response"". The Latin language name for the office would have been ""responsalis"", from the word ""responsum"". The term was also used by other ecclesiastical envoys, either between bishops or between a bishop and a royal court, although this specific office was one of the first and most notable examples. In part, the role of the ""apocrisiarius"" was to represent the interests of the Roman church"
"Apocrisiarius An apocrisiarius, the Latinized form of apokrisiarios (), sometimes Anglicized as apocrisiary, was a high diplomatic representative during Late Antiquity and the early Middle Ages. The corresponding (purist) Latin term was responsalis (""he who answers""). The title was used by Byzantine ambassadors, as well as by the representatives of bishops to the secular authorities. The closest modern equivalent is a papal nuncio; the title ""apocrisiarius"" is also still employed by the Anglican Church. An ""apocrisiarius"" was a cleric who served as the representative (also described as legate, a less precise term) of a patriarch or other bishop to the"
"independent state within the city of Rome, set up by the 1929 Lateran Pacts between the Holy See and Italy. As popes were sovereigns of the papal states (754–1870), so do they exercise absolute civil authority in the microstate of Vatican City since 1929. Ambassadors are accredited not to the Vatican City State but to the ""Holy See,"" which was subject to international law even before the state was instituted. The body of officials that assist the Pope in governance of the Church as a whole is known as the Roman curia. The term ""Holy See"" (i.e. of Rome) is"
"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 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, supervising the"
"an embassy, whose territory, staff, and vehicles are generally afforded diplomatic immunity in the host country. Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, an ambassador has the highest diplomatic rank. Countries may choose to maintain diplomatic relations at a lower level by appointing a chargé d'affaires in place of an ambassador. The equivalent to an ambassador exchanged among members of the Commonwealth of Nations are known as High Commissioners. The ""ambassadors"" of the Holy See are known as Papal or Apostolic Nuncios. The term is derived from Middle English ""ambassadour"", Anglo-French ""ambassateur"", ultimately of Latin origin from the word Ambaxus-Ambactus,"
"of primate or he has individually been created a cardinal) and has an important role in the selection of bishops. The name nuncio is derived from the ancient Latin word, ""nuntius"", meaning ""envoy"" or ""messenger"". Formerly, the title (Apostolic) Internuncio denoted a papal diplomatic representative of the second class, corresponding to Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary as a title for diplomatic representatives of states (cf. Article 14, par. 2 of the Vienna Convention). Before 1829, Internuncio was the title applied instead to the ""ad interim"" head of a mission when one Nuncio had left office and his replacement had not"
"unlike an ""apocrisiarius"", was a representative to the emperor, not the patriarch. These ambassadors continued into the 11th century, even after the East–West Schism. According to the ""Catholic Encyclopedia"", ""from the reign of Charlemagne (d. 814) we find ""apocrisiarii"" at the court of the Frankish kings, but they are only royal arch-chaplains decorated with the title of the ancient papal envoys."" Papal apocrisiarius The apocrisiarius or apocrisiary was the legate from the Pope to the Patriarch of Constantinople, circa 452-743, equivalent to the modern nunciature. The term of the office comes from the Greek word ""apokrisis"", ""response"". The Latin language"
"Apostolic Preacher The Apostolic Preacher, also known as the Preacher to the Papal Household, is a part of the Roman Curia. This individual provides meditation to the Pope as well as other senior officials of the Catholic Church while being the only cleric allowed to preach to the Pope. Since 1980, the position has been held by the Rev. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M.Cap. Established by Pope Paul IV in 1555, the position was initially unpopular among the prelates. This individual was given the task of reminding the members of the Papal Court of their respective duties. Prior to this, four General"
"Vicar A vicar (; Latin: ""vicarius"") is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting ""in the person of"" or agent for a superior (compare ""vicarious"" in the sense of ""at second hand""). Linguistically, ""vicar"" is cognate with the English prefix ""vice"", similarly meaning ""deputy"". The title appears in a number of Christian ecclesiastical contexts, but also as an administrative title, or title modifier, in the Roman Empire. In addition, in the Holy Roman Empire a local representative of the emperor, perhaps an archduke, might be styled ""vicar"". The Pope uses the title ""Vicarius Christi"", meaning the ""vicar of Christ"". The"
"papal legate); the ""missatica"" (singular ""missaticum"") avoided division along the lines of the existing dioceses or provinces. The ""missi"" were not permanent officials, but were generally selected from the ranks of officials at the court, and during the reign of Charlemagne high-standing personages undertook this work. They were sent out collegially, usually in twos, an ecclesiastic and a layman, and were generally complete strangers to the district which they administered, to deter them from putting out local roots and acting on their own initiative, as the counts were doing. In addition extraordinary ""missi"" represented the emperor on special occasions, and"
"within the corps is exactly on a par with that of the other members of ambassadorial rank, so that he becomes dean only on becoming the senior member of the corps. For countries with which the Holy See has no diplomatic relations, an apostolic delegate is sent to serve as a liaison with the Catholic Church in that country, though not accredited to its government. 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"
"arms. All appointments were announced in the ""Acta Apostolicae Sedis"". O'Conor Don, Roscommon, Ireland 1860. Papal chamberlain Papal chamberlain was prior to 1968 a court title given by the Pope to high-ranking clergy as well as laypersons, usually members of prominent Italian noble families. They were members of the Papal Court and it was one of the highest honours that could be bestowed on a Catholic layman by the Pope. Known as Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape (""Cameriere Segreti di spada e cappa"") when conferred upon laypersons, it was mostly an honorary position, but a chamberlain generally served the"
"Apostolic visitor In the Catholic Church, an apostolic visitor (or ""Apostolic Visitator"") is a papal representative with a transient mission to perform a canonical visitation of relatively short duration. The visitor is deputed to investigate a special circumstance in a diocese or country, and to submit a report to the Holy See at the conclusion of the investigation. Apostolic visitors are church officials whom canonists commonly class with papal legates. Visitors differ from other Apostolic delegates, principally in this, that their mission is only transient and of comparatively short duration. In ancient times, the popes generally exercised their right of"
"were also held in Medieval England, including the Council of Westminster in 1125, and a series of legatine councils held from 1139 to 1151, which unlike the 1125 council, were summoned by English ecclesiastics appointed as legates by the pope, rather than legates who had been sent to England by the papacy. Legatine council A legatine council or legatine synod is an ecclesiastical council or synod that is presided over by a papal legate. According to Pope Gregory VII, writing in the ""Dictatus papae"", a papal legate ""presides over all bishops in a council, even if he is inferior in"
"Pope The pope ( from ""pappas"", ""father""), also known as the supreme pontiff (from Latin ""pontifex maximus"" ""greatest priest""), is the Bishop of Rome and ""ex officio"" leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. Since 1929, the pope has also been head of state of Vatican City, a city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. The current pope is Francis, who was elected on 13 March 2013, succeeding Benedict XVI. While his office is called the papacy, the episcopal see and ecclesiastical jurisdiction is called the Holy See. It is the Holy See that is the sovereign entity of international law headquartered in"
"Papal chamberlain Papal chamberlain was prior to 1968 a court title given by the Pope to high-ranking clergy as well as laypersons, usually members of prominent Italian noble families. They were members of the Papal Court and it was one of the highest honours that could be bestowed on a Catholic layman by the Pope. Known as Chamberlain of the Sword and Cape (""Cameriere Segreti di spada e cappa"") when conferred upon laypersons, it was mostly an honorary position, but a chamberlain generally served the Pope for at least one week per year during official liturgical or state ceremonies. The"
"queens, princesses and eminent noblemen. Emperors, kings and princes were given a blessed sword and hat as a more suitable gift. However, if a deserving Catholic emperor, king or other great prince was present in Rome on Lætare Sunday, he would be presented with the rose. The office of carrying and conferring the rose upon those living outside of Rome was given by the pope to cardinal legates ""a latere"", nuncios, inter-nuncios and Apostolic ablegates. In 1895 a new office, called ""Bearer of the Golden Rose"" or ""Keeper of the Golden Rose"", destined for Members of Royal Houses (not hereditary),"
"or ""presbyter"" are derived etymologically from ""presbyteros"". The New Testament meaning is taken by some scholars as the Latin word ""Legate"" which describes the ancient classical function as a herald who represents the highest state office and might be a governor of a province. ""Episkopos"" (ἐπίσκοπος, ) was a common word in the Greek culture for any official who acted as a superintendent, manager, overseer, controller, curator, guardian or ruler. It occurs only five times in the New Testament, once referring to Christ and the other four times to church leaders. The Authorised Version translates the word as ""bishop"", emphasizing"
"impossible to decide which side represented at various times the legitimate succession, in particular regarding Pope Leo VIII, Pope Benedict V and some mid-11th-century popes. Pope The pope ( from ""pappas"", ""father""), also known as the supreme pontiff (from Latin ""pontifex maximus"" ""greatest priest""), is the Bishop of Rome and ""ex officio"" leader of the worldwide Catholic Church. Since 1929, the pope has also been head of state of Vatican City, a city-state enclaved within Rome, Italy. The current pope is Francis, who was elected on 13 March 2013, succeeding Benedict XVI. While his office is called the papacy, the"
"Papal household The papal household or pontifical household (usually not capitalized in the media and other nonofficial use, ), called until 1968 the Papal Court (""Aula Pontificia""), consists of dignitaries who assist the pope in carrying out particular ceremonies of either a religious or a civil character. It is organised into two bodies: the Papal Chapel (""Cappella Pontificia""), which assists the pope in his functions as spiritual head of the church, especially in religious ceremonies; and the Papal Family or Household (""Familia Pontificia""), which assists him as head of a juridical body with civil functions. The Papal Chapel consists of"