WAn apostolic nunciature is a top-level diplomatic mission of the Holy See, equivalent to an embassy. However, it does not issue visas, nor does it have consulates.
WThis is a list of diplomatic missions of the Holy See. Since the fifth century, long before the founding of the Vatican City State in 1929, papal envoys 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.
WThe following is a sortable list of the heads of the diplomatic mission of the Holy See. An apostolic nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international organization. A nuncio is appointed by and represents the Holy See, and is the head of the diplomatic mission, called an Apostolic Nunciature, which is the equivalent of an embassy. The Holy See is legally distinct from the Vatican City or the Catholic Church. A nuncio is usually an archbishop.
WThe Apostolic Nuncio to Argentina is the principal representative of the Holy See to the Government of Argentina. The nunciature is at the Fernández Anchorena Palace, in Buenos Aires.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Australia is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Australia. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia with the rank of an ambassador. The office of the nunciature is located in Manuka, Canberra.
WThe Apostolic Nuncio to Austria is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Belarus is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Belarus. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Bosnia and Herzegovina is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The office of the nunciature has been located in Sarajevo since 1993. The current Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina is Luigi Pezzuto, who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI on 17 November 2012.
WThe Apostolic Nuncio to Botswana is the principal representative of the Holy See to the Government of Botswana.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to the Republic of Brazil is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Brazil. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Canada is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to Canada. It is headed by the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, which is both an ecclesiastical and diplomatic office, with the rank of ambassador.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to China is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the Republic of China. The Republic of China is now more commonly referred to as “Taiwan”. However, as far as the Vatican is concerned, the Republic of China is the state of “China”. The Holy See does not have a diplomatic mission in, or diplomatic relations with, the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Apostolic Nunicature to China is located at 7-1, Lane 265, Heping East Road Section 2, Daan District, Taipei.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to the Republic of Croatia is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Croatia. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador that enjoys some additional privileges. Diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Croatia were established on 8 February 1992 following Croatia's independence from SFR Yugoslavia.
WThe Apostolic Nuncio to the Czech Republic is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The office of the nunciature is located in Prague.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to France is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in France. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Germany is an ecclesiastical office of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio to Germany with the rank of an ambassador. The office of the nunciature has been located in Berlin since 1925, in union with the new Apostolic Nuncio to Prussia until 1934. Between 1920 and 1925 the nunciature was held in personal union by the Apostolic Nuncio to Bavaria, seated in Munich. With the unconditional surrender of Germany in 1945 the diplomatic ties were interrupted and reestablished for West Germany only in 1951, then in Bonn. In 2001 the nunciature moved again to Berlin.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Great Britain is a diplomatic office of the Holy See in Great Britain. It is headed by the Apostolic Nuncio who has the rank of an ambassador. The parties agreed to exchange representatives at the ambassadorial level and Pope John Paul II erected the Nunciature to Great Britain on 17 January 1982. Before then, the interests of the Holy See in Great Britain had been represented by an Apostolic Delegate since 1938, though not granted diplomatic status until 1979. The decision to designate the nuncio to Great Britain rather than the United Kingdom reflected the complex and frequently antagonistic relationship between the Holy See and the British crown since they severed ties in the sixteenth century. British government sources said it had been agreed that the nuncio in London would concern himself with matters in England, Scotland and Wales, while the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, based in Dublin, would have within his purview the entire island of Ireland.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Indonesia is a diplomatic position within the Vatican, equivalent to an embassy. It is located at Jalan Merdeka Timur 18, Jakarta-Pusat.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Israel is the nunciature of the Holy See to Israel. The head of the nunciature is the Apostolic Nuncio to Israel, who is the holder of a diplomatic position within the Holy See and acts as nuncio (ambassador) of the Holy See to Israel. The office's work takes place in the broader backdrop of Holy See–Israel relations that have evolved considerably since 1994.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Korea is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in South Korea. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The nuncio resides in Seoul.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Lithuania is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Lithuania. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Malta is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to Malta. The nunciature is located at 20/22, Pietru Caxaru Street, Tal-Virtù, Rabat RBT 2604, Malta. The current Apostolic Nuncio is Archbishop Alessandro D'Errico
WThe Apostolic Nuncio to the Netherlands is the principal representative of the Holy See to the Royal Government of the Netherlands. The nunciature is located at Carnegielaan 5 in The Hague.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature in the Philippines is a top-level diplomatic mission assigned by the Holy See to the Philippines, located at 2140 Taft Avenue, Malate, Manila.
WThe Apostolic Nuncio to Poland is one of the oldest nuncios, appointed by the Pope as apostolic representative to the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. Three nuncios to Poland went on to be elected pope. Three were cardinals at the time of their appointment as nuncio, and the rest—with the sole exception of Filippo Cortesi—were elevated afterwards.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Russia is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See in the Russian Federation. It is located at 7/37 Vadkovsky Lane in the Tverskoy District of Moscow.
WThe Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa is the principal representative of the Holy See to the Government of South Africa. It was established on 25 June 1994. Until then the Holy See maintained its representation through a series of delegations with increasingly narrow jurisdiction: the Delegation to Africa, the Delegation to Southern Africa, and the Delegation to South Africa.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature to Ukraine is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See in Ukraine. It is located at Turhenivska Street 40 in Kyiv.
WThe Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations is the representative of the Holy See at the United Nations. This diplomatic mission does not have the status of Permanent Representative because the Holy See is not a member of the U.N. The Holy See has had this observer state status since 1964, a status accorded only one other entity, the State of Palestine.
WThe Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See to the United States is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the United States. It is located at 3339 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington, D.C., in the Embassy Row neighborhood. The current Apostolic Nuncio is Archbishop Christophe Pierre, who was named to the position by Pope Francis on 12 April 2016.