Diplomatic missions of the Holy See

Since the fifth century, long before the founding of the Vatican City State in 1929, papal envoys (now known as nuncios) have represented the Holy See to foreign potentates. Additionally, papal representatives known not as nuncios but as apostolic delegates ensure contact between the Holy See and the Catholic Church in countries that do not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See. At present, there is one residential apostolic delegate, for Jerusalem and Palestine, as well as non-residential ones for eight countries (Botswana, Brunei, Burma, Comoros, Laos, Malaysia, Mauritania, Somalia) and for the territories and countries without diplomatic relations in three regions (Arabian Peninsula, the Caribbean, the Pacific Ocean). Vietnam is also listed in the Annuario Pontificio as having an apostolic delegation, but the post of apostolic delegate has been vacant for several decades. In keeping with the "one China" policy, no representative, whether nuncio or apostolic delegate, is appointed for mainland China, since the Holy See is represented in Taipei by an apostolic nunciature, headed not by a nuncio, but only by a chargé d'affaires. Many countries, such as the United States, for which apostolic delegates were once appointed, now have nuncios.

As well as the countries mentioned above as having apostolic delegations, Afghanistan, Bhutan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Tuvalu do not have diplomatic relations with the Holy See. [ [http://chiesa.espresso.repubblica.it/articolo/162301?eng=y] .]

In most respects the status of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See are identical with those of other countries, with the exception of the nomenclature: apostolic nuncios have ambassadorial rank and apostolic nunciatures are ranked as embassies. However, in most countries of central and western Europe the nuncio is granted precedence over other ambassadors and is dean of the diplomatic corps from the moment he presents his credentials. The Holy See, which does not issue visas, does not have consulates.

Apostolic delegates and their missions do not have diplomatic status.

In countries where that is permitted, the apostolic nunciature is sometimes, though rarely, located outside the capital, perhaps in towns with particularly important religious connections, such as the village of Rabat in Malta where Saint Paul's grotto exists, and Harissa in Lebanon where Maronite, Greek Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic Church authorities are located. In other countries that is not permitted: when India opened diplomatic relations with the Holy See, what until that moment was an apostolic delegation moved from Bangalore to the capital, New Delhi; and in Australia the mission moved from Sydney to Canberra.

The apostolic nunciatures and apostolic delegations and the Holy See's observer or representative missions to international governmental organizations, such as the United Nations, the Council of Europe and the Arab League, are listed, with names of the head officials, postal and e-mail addresses, telephone numbers etc., in the Annuario Pontificio. [Pages 1343-1372 of the 2007 edition (ISBN 978-88-209-7908-9)]

Europe

*Flag|Albania
** Tirana (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Austria
** Vienna (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Belarus
** Minsk (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Belgium
** Brussels (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Bosnia and Herzegovina
** Sarajevo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Bulgaria
** Sofia (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Croatia
** Zagreb (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Cyprus
** Nicosia (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Czech Republic
** Prague (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|France
** Paris (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Georgia
** Tbilisi (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Germany
** Berlin (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Greece
** Athens (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Hungary
** Budapest (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Ireland
** Dublin (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Italy
** Rome (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Kazakhstan
** Astana (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Kyrgyzstan
** Bishkek (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Lithuania
** Vilnius (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Malta
** Rabat (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Netherlands
** The Hague (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Poland
** Warsaw (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Portugal
** Lisbon (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Romania
** Bucharest (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Russia
** Moscow (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Serbia
** Belgrade (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Slovakia
** Bratislava (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Slovenia
** Ljubljana (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Spain
** Madrid (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Sweden
** Stockholm (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Switzerland
** Berne (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Ukraine
** Kiev (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|United Kingdom
** London (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Uzbekistan
** Tashkent (Apostolic Nunciature)

North America

*Flag|Canada
** Ottawa (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Costa Rica
** San José (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Cuba
** Havana (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Dominican Republic
** Santo Domingo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|El Salvador
** San Salvador (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Guatemala
** Guatemala City (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Haiti
** Port au Prince (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Honduras
** Tegucigalpa (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Mexico
** Mexico City (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Nicaragua
** Managua (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Panama
** Panama City (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Trinidad and Tobago
** Port of Spain (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|United States
** Washington DC (Apostolic Nunciature)

South America

*Flag|Argentina
** Buenos Aires (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Bolivia
** La Paz (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Brazil
** Brasília (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Chile
** Santiago (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Colombia
** Bogotá (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Ecuador
** Quito (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Paraguay
** Asunción (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Peru
** Lima (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Uruguay
** Montevideo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Venezuela
** Caracas (Apostolic Nunciature)

Africa

*Flag|Algeria
** Algiers (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Angola
** Luanda (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Benin
** Cotonou (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Burundi
** Bujumbura (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Cameroon
** Yaounde (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Central African Republic
** Bangui (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Chad
** N'Djamena (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Congo
** Brazzaville (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo
** Kinshasa (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Côte d'Ivoire
** Abidjan (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Egypt
** Cairo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Ethiopia
** Addis Ababa (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Gabon
** Libreville (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Ghana
** Accra (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Guinea
** Conakry (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Kenya
** Nairobi (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Madagascar
** Antananarivo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Morocco
** Rabat (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Mozambique
** Maputo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Nigeria
** Abuja (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Rwanda
** Kigali (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Senegal
** Dakar (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|South Africa
** Pretoria (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Sudan
** Khartoum (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Tanzania
** Dar Es Salaam (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Uganda
** Kampala (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Zambia
** Lusaka (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Zimbabwe
** Harare (Apostolic Nunciature)

Middle East

*Flag|Iran
** Tehran (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Iraq
** Baghdad (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Israel
** Tel Aviv (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Jordan
** Amman (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Kuwait
** Kuwait City (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Lebanon
** Harissa (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Palestinian Authority
** Jerusalem (Apostolic Delegation)
*Flag|Syria
** Damascus (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Turkey
** Ankara (Apostolic Nunciature)

Asia

*Flag|Bangladesh
** Dhaka (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Republic of China
** Taipei (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|India
** New Delhi (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Indonesia
** Jakarta (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Japan
** Tokyo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Republic of Korea
** Seoul (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Pakistan
** Islamabad (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Philippines
** Manila (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Singapore
** Singapore (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Sri Lanka
** Colombo (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Thailand
** Bangkok (Apostolic Nunciature)

Oceania

*Flag|Australia
** Canberra (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|New Zealand
** Wellington (Apostolic Nunciature)
*Flag|Papua New Guinea
** Port Moresby (Apostolic Nunciature)

Multilateral Organisations

** Geneva (Permanent Observer Mission)
** New York (Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations)

References

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/xdip.html Catholic-Hierarchy.org]
* [http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/corpo-diplomatico/corpo-diplomatico_stati_elenco_en.html Vatican News Service ]

See also

* Nuncio
* Apostolic Nunciature
* List of Roman Catholic archdioceses