2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: I'm taking bets on whether Bernie will meet with the Pope. [View all]CountAllVotes
(20,868 posts)Question: "What is the Holy See?"
Answer: The term "Holy See" is from the Latin Sancta Sedes, meaning holy chair. It is said that the Holy See is the jurisdiction in Rome of the Catholic Church. In other words, it is similar to a government, which is not surprising considering that the Vatican is its own country and has its own money and its own laws. However, there is a difference between the Holy See, which dates back to early Christian times, and Vatican City, which came into existence in 1929 with the signing of the Lateran Treaty between the See and the Italian government. The Holy See is an episcopal designation, while Vatican City is primarily a political and diplomatic one.
The government of the Holy See includes tribunals, congregations, pontifical counsels and numerous other bureaucratic entities. Of course the pope is the head of the See, as he is considered the head of the Catholic Church. The secretariat of state is the second in command of the See and oversees the 175 diplomatic worldwide relationships and offices. The See is a member of numerous international organizations, including the United Nations.
*******
Bottom line is this:
The Vatican is a place and the pope is the head of the Catholic Church.