The Diplomacy of the Holy See and its Transformation in the Context of Relations with the United Nations

Abstract

The Holy See has formal diplomatic relations with almost all states of the world and with international organizations including the United Nations (UN), where it holds Permanent Observer status. Its diplomacy considers the UN as one of the most important agents in international affairs. In the article, we clarify the Holy See’s role as a Permanent Observer and its views on international cooperation before the Second Vatican Council. We then shed light on the leading principles and aims of its diplomacy at the UN as verbalized through the papal addresses to the General Assembly, letters to UN secretaries general, and various messages. Finally, we describe the Holy See’s position in the long-lasting debate over UN reform.

Keywords:

• Holy See
• diplomacy
• United Nations
• UN reform
• Catholic Church

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Charles University Research Programme “Progres” Q18 – Social Sciences: From Multidisciplinarity to Interdisciplinarity and by the Internal Grant Agency of AMBIS College.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Marián Sekerák

Marián Sekerák studied political science at the Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica (Slovakia) and obtained his Ph.D. from the Institute of Political Studies of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University (Czech Republic). He is a lecturer at AMBIS College, Prague and a researcher at the Centre for Higher Education Studies. He specializes in political theory, the theory of democracy, church-state relations, the diplomatic activities of the Holy See, Catholic Social Thought, and higher education research.

Karol Lovaš

Karol Lovaš graduated in theology in 2009 at the Catholic Theological Faculty, Charles University (Czech Republic) and obtained his Ph.D. in 2012 at the Catholic University in Ružomberok (Slovakia) in the field of theory and history of journalism. He is the author of several books of interviews, for example with three Slovak presidents, with General Alojz Lorenc, and with photographer Jan Saudek. He currently works as a Catholic priest of the Premonstratensian order and as a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University.