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The State | |
The Vatican City State came into existence with the Lateran Treaty, drawn up between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy on 11 February 1929 and ratified on 7 June 1929.
Its existence as sovereign authority with international public rights, distinct from the Holy See, is universally recognized.
In the Vatican City State, the Catholic Church, through its central government, constituted by the Pope and the Apostolic See, carries out its mission of truth, justice and peace. This confers on the State the singular characteristic of a sign of the independence and supernatural character of the Church, and of its mission of salvation for mankind.
The Vatican City State covers an area extending from a short distance from the right bank of the Tiber to the raised ground anciently known as the Vatican Hills, on which summer villas were built during the Republican period. Caligula constructed there his private circus, in which, as in the adjacent gardens, the early Christians were probably martyred. To the north of the circus, along a secondary route, was a necropolis in which St. Peter was buried. In the year 324 Constantine ordered to erect an imposing basilica over the site of this tomb, which was replaced by the present one built between the 16th and the 17th century.
The territory of the State, which covers an approximate area of 108.5 acres, is surrounded in the part by a wall extending as far as St. Peter's Square, where a line of travertine joins the two wings of the State at the end of the piazza, to which anyone is allowed free admittance.
The Vatican City State has three entrances, whose care is entrusted to the Swiss Guar: the "Bronze Doors" (see Vatican City map, no.1) at the end of the right-hand colonnade; the entrance under the Arc of Charlemagne, commonly called "Arch of the Bells" (map no.82); and a third one which opens off the Via di Porta Angelica (map. no.38).
Entrance to the Vatican Museum is on Viale delle Mura Vaticane (map no.34), not far from the Piazza del Risorgimento.
The population of the State comprises some 750 inhabitants, of whom about 400 have Vatican citizenship, while the rest are only authorized to reside temporarily in the State or even permanently, without being citizens.
Acquisition and loss of citizenship, authorization to reside in the State and formalities to enter, are set out in the Law of 7 June 1929 no. III on citizenship and residence, and in the Regulation of 27 December 1932 no. XXXVI for entrance to the Vatican City.
The entire territory of the Vatican City State is placed under the protection of the La Haye Convention of 14 May 1954, concerning the safeguard of cultural goods in case of armed conflict. The State is thus recognized - and this is so also international discipline - as a moral, artistic and cultural patrimony worthy of being respected and protected as a treasure belonging to humanity.
The Vatican City State has been registered in the World Heritage since 1984.
| The division of the State and its powers |  The Swiss Guard |
The State is ruled in the form of an elected monarchy, for life. The Head of State is the Supreme Pontiff who possesses full legislative, judicial and executive powers.
These powers, during the period of Vacant See, belong to the Sacred College of Cardinals.
Legislative regulations are issued by the Supreme Pontiff or through His delegate, by the Pontifical Commission for the Administration of the Vatican City State and by the Governor of the State (position presently vacant). These regulations are published in a special supplement of the "Acta Apostolicae Sedis".
The judicial power resides in one Judge, a Court of First Instance, a Court of Appeal and a Court of Cassation, which exercise their functions in the name of the Pontiff. Their respective duties are established in the Judicial Rule, promulgate with the Motu Proprio of the Supreme Pontiff Pius XII on 1 May 1946. The Code of Civil Procedure, issued contemporaneously, governs the form and the terms of civil procedure.
The executive power is delegate to the Pontifical Commission for the Administration of the Vatican City State, and to the "Delegato Speciale" (Special Delegate), who depends on the Pontifical Commission: on these bodies depend the General Directions, with their Offices and Services, and the Directions of the "Governatorato".
With the Motu Proprio, "Pontificalis Domus" of the 28 March 1968, Paul VI, adhering to article 8 of the Law of 7 June 1929 no. I for the position of General Counsellor of the State, instituted a "Consulta" (Council) which collaborates with the Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State in the study of certain affairs in order to give the Commission advice and suggestions which could be helpful in the efficient government of the State. This "Consulta" may be called on to carry out other more important affairs.
the Papal Military Corps, with the exception of the Swiss Guard, was disbanded on 14 September 1970.
The flag of the Vatican City consist of two fields divided vertically: a yellow one which hangs next to the flag-staff and a white one the Papal Tiara and the Keys.
Relations with foreign States and Membership in international organizations
The representation of the State and its relations with other States are the reserve of the Supreme Pontiff, who exercises them through his Secretariat of State. Both the Vatican City State and the Holy See, as the sovereign organ of the Catholic Church, have obtain an ever growing recognition of their distinct international character. They are members of international organizations and participate in international conferences according to the relative agreements.
Besides the organizations in which the Holy See participates with permanent observer (for example, the U.N., F.A.O., U.N.E.S.C.O.), or of which the Holy See is a member (for example, the International Atomic Energy, I.A.E.A., and the World Tourist Organizations, W.T.O.), the Vatican City State participates in other organizations, including:
Offices and Departments of the Vatican City State participate in other international organizations, for example the European Conference of Post and Telecommunications (C.E.P.T.) and the International Technical Committee for the prevention and extinction of fire.
In addition, the Holy See or the Vatican City State takes part in numerous international conventions, including:
The Vatican City State is also a member of the International Telecommunications Satellite Consortium (I.N.T.E.L.S.A.T.), and of the European Telecommunications Satellites Organizations (E.U.T.E.L.S.A.T.).
| The Administrative Structure |  The Railway Station |
The State has its own currency and issued its own postage stamps.
Vatican money, by virtue of special agreements with the Italian State, is legal tender also in Italy. It is also legal tender in the Republic of San Marino by virtue of the Agreement between this Republic and the Vatican City State of 30 December 1931, ratified on 25 May 1932.
According to article 1 of the Law of the Vatican of 31 December 1930 no. XX, the decimal monetary system was adopted, the monetary unit being the gold lira. It was foreseen, through the agreements with the Italian Government, that Vatican money would always be aligned with the legal value of the Italian lira. Lacking its own issuing institute, the Vatican State coins its own metallic money every year at the Italian Mint with cut, weight and measure equal to that of the Italian coins and by allotment according to the concordat on monetary conventions with Italy.
The issue of postal stamps is not subject to any particular limitation, excepting the discipline of the postal services, according to the agreements with the Italian State in matters of postal tariffs and those prescribed in international agreements to which the Vatican State adheres.
The initial relating to motorized transport inscribed in the Registration of Vatican motorvehicles is C.V. The international initial is V.
The Vatican City State has no direct sea access nevertheless, through the Barcelona Conventions, ship bearing the Papal flag are admitted to maritime navigation. Such navigation is controlled by the corresponding norms issued by the Pontifical Commission for the State of the Vatican City (Decree of 15 September 1951, no. LXVII).