Apostolic nuncio

An apostolic nuncio or papal nuncio (in Latin, Nuntius Apostolicus) is a diplomatic representative of the Holy See —not of Vatican City State—with the rank of ambassador. He represents the Holy See before the States (and before some international organizations and before the local Church). He usually has the ecclesiastical rank of archbishop. He normally resides at the apostolic nunciature, which enjoys the same privileges and immunities as an embassy.

In cases where there are no diplomatic relations with the authorities of a State, the representative of the Holy See before the local Church is called apostolic delegate. In many countries the papal nuncio has protocol precedence over the rest of the ambassadors: he is the dean of the diplomatic corps.

Conceptual and historical details

His diplomatic rank of ambassador was established at the Congress of Vienna (1815). Like other diplomats, the nuncio must be accredited by the host State.

Regarding the fact that the nuncio is dean of the diplomatic corps, a long dispute between states over diplomatic precedence was thus resolved. The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of April 18, 1961 maintained the practice of this privilege of the papal representative. The apostolic nuncio, as dean, is responsible for speaking on behalf of the diplomatic corps on solemn occasions and also resolves conflicts that may arise between any diplomatic representation and the host State.

The nunciature has a structure similar to that of an embassy, with a nunciature counselor, nunciature secretary, etc. These posts are usually held by career diplomats from the Holy See, all of them clergy, trained at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, established in 1701. Most of the nuncios come from the diplomatic service; some of them later become bishops of a diocese or return to Vatican City to work in some departments; some become cardinals. Some pope, like John XXIII, was previously a nuncio, specifically in Bulgaria, Turkey and France.

Sometimes the Holy See -like other subjects of international law- designates as nuncio an ecclesiastic who does not come from a diplomatic career.

Activity of the nuncios

In many cases the nuncios have attempted to mediate conflicts and protect persecuted minorities. In recent times, Irish Archbishop Michael Aidan Courtney, Papal Nuncio to Burundi, has been the first to die in a conflict: he was killed in an ambush on December 29, 2003.

Apostolic delegate

Apostolic delegates do not exercise official diplomatic functions. This means that they do not officially represent the Supreme Pontiff before the States in which they exercise their functions and, therefore, do not belong to the diplomatic corps. An apostolic delegate is generally sent to those nations with which the Holy See does not have established diplomatic relations. The seat of the apostolic delegation does not enjoy diplomatic immunity or any of the other prerogatives that international diplomacy possesses. However, for the Holy Father to send an apostolic delegate, the recipient country must be able to guarantee minimum conditions of religious freedom and personal security. In practice, the apostolic delegates have the character of unofficial representatives of the Vatican before the different States to which they were assigned.