Apostolic Nunciature

An Apostolic Nunciature is the embassy of the Holy See in a foreign country.  The nunciature protects the affairs of the Holy See both in governance over Vatican City and the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, and also liases between the Holy See and the Catholic Church in that country.

The head of nunciature is called a Nuncio. The nuncio is the equivalent of an Ambassador, or a High Commissioner (Ambassador) in Commonwealth countries which represents and serves as the Pope's spokesperson in a particular country, making the nuncio's presence in some Catholic-related events one of the two ways to represent the Holy See to a country and the world, the other being the visit of a Pope himself.

Some countries make the Nuncio Dean of the Diplomatic Corps (head of the group of ambassadors to its country).  This is allowed by the international agreement about diplomats.Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, Article 16  Usually the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps is the longest serving ambassador in a country.

A pro-Nuncio was the name used for a Nuncio in countries which did not make a Nuncio Dean of the Diplomatic Corps automatically.  The Holy See stopped using the title in 1991.

An Apostolic Delegate represented the Holy See to the church, but not the government, in another country.

 Notes 

Category:Vatican City
Category:Roman Catholicism