Why is the Vatican a country? The answer involves power, faith and politics

Even with less than a square kilometer, the Vatican brings together diplomatic influence, political autonomy and spiritual protagonism, being a unique nation whose existence goes beyond geographical limits, influencing global decisions based on tradition, symbolic power and Catholic faith.

O Vatican It is the smallest country in the world, but its influence transcends borders with a unique mix of religion, politics and diplomacy.

Although it may seem like just the center of the Catholic Church, the Vatican is, in fact, a sovereign nation with a state structure, recognized internationally.

But why does this happen?

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An origin marked by historical conflicts

The existence of the Vatican as a country is a direct result of conflicts between the Catholic Church and the Italian State.

For many centuries, the popes ruled over territories known as the Papal States, which extended across much of central Italy.

This temporal authority of the popes lasted until the 19th century, when the process of Italian unification, led by King Victor Emmanuel II, took over the territories of the Church.

The conflict culminated in 1870, with the conquest of Rome by Italian troops.

From then on, the popes refused to recognize the authority of the new Italian state over the former capital of the Papal States, beginning a standoff known as “Roman Question".

The Lateran Treaty: the birth of a State

The solution to this impasse only came in 1929, with the signing of the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and the Kingdom of Italy., led, at the time, by Benito Mussolini.

With the agreement, Italy recognized the Vatican as a sovereign and independent state, and the Holy See, in turn, recognized Rome as the capital of Italy.

The treaty guaranteed the Vatican full political, territorial and administrative autonomy.

Furthermore, Italy committed to paying compensation for the lost territories and to guaranteeing the inviolability of Vatican territory.

Since then, the Vatican has officially existed as a country — albeit with very particular characteristics.

A theocratic and symbolic country

Unlike traditional nations, the Vatican is an absolute theocracy, where the head of state is the religious leader himself: the Pope.

It concentrates legislative, executive and judicial powers, although it has administrative bodies that assist it in managing the territory and diplomatic activities.

The Vatican has no permanent citizens.

Citizenship is granted functionally, only to people who work in ecclesiastical or administrative positions linked to the Holy See.

When these ties end, citizenship is automatically revoked.

Despite its small size, the Vatican is a relevant political actor on the international scene.

The Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with more than 180 countries and has permanent observer status at the UN.

This influence is due in large part to its moral authority and the global network of the Catholic Church, which has more than 1,3 billion followers.

Do you know why the Vatican is a country? Understand how faith, power and politics created the smallest — and most influential — state in the world.

Faith as power, politics as a tool

The answer to the title of this article lies precisely in the intersection between faith, power and politics.

The Catholic faith underpins the existence of the Vatican, but it was international politics that consolidated its sovereignty.

The creation of the Vatican as a State served to guarantee the Catholic Church a neutral and autonomous base, far from political pressure from other countries.

At the same time, the existence of a territory of its own allows the Pope to speak with global authority, without depending on the goodwill of other governments.

It is this combination that makes the Vatican a unique phenomenon: a country based on faith, built on diplomacy and sustained by the symbolic power of one of the oldest institutions in the world.

Economy and functioning of the State

The Vatican has a peculiar economy, based mainly on donations from the faithful, financial investments, the sale of stamps, commemorative coins, publications and museum tickets.

Peter's Pence, for example, is a worldwide collection destined for the Pope for charitable works and maintenance of the Holy See.

There are no taxes within the Vatican.

Its services are maintained by a complex financial structure administered by entities such as the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), known informally as the Vatican Bank.

In addition, the country has its own legal system, security corps (the Pontifical Swiss Guard), post office, radio station and even an astronomical observatory.

A small territory with global influence

The Vatican proves that size doesn't matter. Even with less than a thousand inhabitants and a microscopic territory, it exerts enormous spiritual and political influence on a global scale.

As an independent country, the Vatican maintains its diplomatic neutrality, acts in conflict mediation, participates in global discussions on human rights and the environment, and preserves the Pope's freedom to communicate with the world without external interference.

Therefore, the question “why is the Vatican a country?” reveals an answer that goes far beyond geography.

It involves centuries of disputes, refined diplomacy and the need to guarantee autonomy to an institution that, to this day, shapes a significant part of Western culture, morality and politics.

And you, did you ever imagine that such a small country could concentrate so much power? In your opinion, should the Vatican continue with this political status or is it time to review this model?

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Why is the Vatican a country? The answer involves power, faith and politics