Cardinal Secretary of State

The cardinal Secretary of State chairs the Secrétairerie of State the Holy See, which is one of oldest but also more important the Dicastère S of the Roman Curie, created by the pope Innocent VIII, the December 31st 1487.

Role of the Secretary of State of the Holy See

In load of the political matters and diplomatic of the the Holy See, the Secretary of State is also regarded as the “Prime Minister” of the State of the Vatican City, and represents the sovereign pontiff, chief of this State, in the relationship with the States and the other subjects of International law, for the diplomatic relations and the conclusions of treaties. Like all the other chiefs of Dicastère, it is named by the Pape.

Only a cardinal can be appointed Secretary of State. The functions can however be assumed by a Archevêque, which then takes the title of “pro-secretary of State”, either at the time of the death or the resignation of the Secretary of State, or on standby of cardinalice creation of this archbishop, or because the pope assumes by itself the load.

With died of the pope, the cardinal Secretary of State leaves his functions, like the other chiefs of dicastères. During the vacancy of the apostolic seat ( Sede vacant ), he is member of a commission with the Camerlingue and chair it pontifical Commission for the State of the Vatican City to exert some of the functions of the Head of the State.

The cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, hitherto archbishop of Genoa, was named with this function the June 22nd 2006, by the pope Benoît XVI, to replace the cardinal Angelo Sodano, holder of the station since 1991.

List cardinals Secretaries of State

1pro-secrétaire of State in 1800 | ² pro-secrétaire of State in 1808 - 1814 | ³ pro-secrétaire of State in 1831

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