Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
Diplomacy with the Vatican can be more interesting than Vatican diplomacy.
The word “diplomacy” often evokes pompous protocol meetings, ceremony, tradition and elegant parties with refinement, glamour, quality champagne, elegant waiters serving delicatessen, discreet conversations and secret agents disguised as waiters or captivating ladies. It would be nice if it were so, but the reality is a little sadder. The truth is that the important thing about these events is to be on the guest list and (believe me, dear reader) seen one, seen them all.
Vatican diplomacy is often talked about (and exaggerated), but part of this diplomatic work is not done directly abroad, but with foreign ambassadors to the Holy See. The diplomatic corps to the Vatican is as varied and peculiar as the countries they represent and, above all, is a good sample of what the governments of those countries really think about the importance and influence of the Pope.
To be (present) or not to be
The Holy See has diplomatic relations with 183 states (As a curiosity, many of these ambassadors to the Holy See are also ambassadors to the Order of Malta, which is considered an international entity, but this is another story) and in terms of ambassadors to the Holy See, there are approximately 87 resident embassies in Rome. These resident embassies are distinct from the countries' embassies to Italy, reflecting the status of the Vatican as a sovereign entity separate from the Italian state.
Another 96 countries that do not have resident embassies to the Holy See in Rome maintain non-resident ambassadors, who are typically based in other European nations or in their home countries. Most are in Berlin, Paris, London, Switzerland (either in Geneva or Bern) and Brussels. Four countries are based in the United States. These are not always small or uninfluential countries. For example, India's ambassador lives in Vienna, Norway's in Bern, Denmark's in Brussels, and Sweden's (why leave home) in Stockholm. The non-resident ambassadors frequently travel to Rome for significant events or important diplomatic discussions but manage day-to-day relations from their primary embassies elsewhere.
The reasons for this can vary from logistical and financial considerations to the nature of their diplomatic priorities. And this last point is the important one. The profile of the person being sent as ambassador (to the Vatican or anywhere else) indicates the importance that the country sending its ambassador attaches to the country to which it is sending. That is, the importance it gives to the Vatican.
A not so automatic process
But first, an explanation of how an ambassador is appointed to the Holy See because the Vatican has its own formal process for accepting an ambassador, which involves several steps:
Agrément Request. The process begins with the sending country requesting agrément (approval) from the Holy See for their chosen ambassador. This request is a confidential and formal inquiry sent through diplomatic channels, often from the sending country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Vatican's Secretariat of State.
Review and Vetting. Upon receiving the request for agrément, the Vatican conducts a thorough review of the proposed ambassador. This review includes a background check and an assessment of the nominee’s qualifications, professional history, and any potential issues that might affect their acceptability.
On occasion, there are governments that despite the Vatican's initial reluctance to an ambassadorial candidate go ahead with the process. On other occasions, the Vatican's investigation (please, no one thinking of secret agents) brings to light aspects that the Vatican does not find acceptable and a formal veto is then produced.
And Yes, the Holy See has exercised its right to reject or refuse agrément for proposed ambassadors on several occasions throughout history. Here are a few notable examples:
Ferdinando Storchi (Italy). In the early 1980s, Italy proposed the appointment of Storchi, but the Vatican objected to the candidate due to his ties with the Italian Socialist Party and the Vatican had concerns about his secularist views and policies that clashed with the Church's stances on various issues.
Carla del Ponte (Switzerland). In the late 1990s, Switzerland proposed Carla del Ponte, a prominent prosecutor known for her work with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The Vatican refused agrément due to concerns over her role in legal proceedings that might have conflicted with Church positions.
René de Groot (Netherlands) - In 1982, the Vatican vetoed René de Groot’s appointment due to his strong advocacy for legalized abortion and euthanasia.
Jean-Loup Kuhn-Delforge. (France). In 2007, France proposed an openly gay diplomat as ambassador. The Vatican refused to accept this nomination, citing conflicts with its views on homosexuality and marriage.
But let's not beat around the bush. Get back to the process
Response to Agrément Request. Once the review is complete, the Holy See responds to the sending country’s request. If the nominee is acceptable, the Vatican grants agrément. If still there are concerns or objections, the Holy See may request (again) a different nominee, although such rejections are typically handled discreetly to avoid diplomatic tension.
Announcement of Nomination. After receiving agrément from the Holy See, the sending country publicly announces the nomination of the new ambassador. This step is often coordinated to ensure that both the sending country and the Vatican can manage the timing of the announcement appropriately.
Credential Preparation. The sending country prepares the formal credentials for the new ambassador. These credentials typically include a letter from the head of state (e.g., the President of the United States) addressed to the Pope, affirming the ambassador’s appointment and authorizing them to represent their country in diplomatic matters.
Arrival and Presentation of Credentials. Upon arrival in Rome, the new ambassador arranges a formal audience with the Pope. During this audience, the ambassador presents their credentials to the Pontiff. This ceremony is highly formal and symbolizes the official start of the ambassador’s duties. The credentials presentation usually takes place in the Apostolic Palace or another designated venue within the Vatican.
Acceptance and Commencement of Duties. Once the credentials are presented and accepted, the new ambassador is officially recognized by the Holy See and can begin their diplomatic duties. This includes participating in diplomatic events, engaging in official meetings, and working on various aspects of bilateral relations.
Roman Holidays
As each country is different and the presence of the Church (and its circumstances and possible conflicts) in them is also different, there are both profiles of ambassadors and embassies to the Holy See. Even so, two groups can be established.
1-) Diplomats (or politicians or personalities) who are “rewarded” with an ambassadorship considered quiet and ceremonial, which is often an honorable end to their career.
2-) Ambassadors who, in fact, may also have a long experience and be at the end of their careers, but who have conditions that allow them to be privileged interlocutors with the Vatican and constitute a channel of communication of great importance between their governments and the See of Peter.
Obviously it is the latter group that gives the Vatican an international diplomatic importance of the first order. Its ambassadors certainly enjoy the office and Rome, but nothing to do with Roman Holidays.
One might think that the more important a country is, the less interested it is in the international role a Pope can play. However, reality belies this because historically there are two countries that have given (sometimes more and sometimes less) great importance to their embassies to the Holy See: the United States and Russia.
Many do not know this, but it was not until 1984 that the United States had full diplomatic relations with the Vatican. The reigning Pope was John Paul II and U.S. President Ronald Reagan. William A. Wilson was appointed ambassador and played a crucial role in facilitating U.S. support for the Polish Solidarity movement, which was a major force in challenging the communist regime in Eastern Europe. John Paul II, being Polish, had a personal investment in the success of Solidarity, and Wilson's work helped coordinate efforts to provide moral and material support to the movement. History books speak of the undoubted role of John Paul II and Reagan in the fall of communism (some also add British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) but Ambassador Wilson undoubtedly played a crucial role.
And this kind of inside job was not a one-hit-wonder. In December 2014 the world was surprised when President Barack Obama and Cuba's Raul Castro announced a historic agreement and pointed to the decisive intervention of Pope Francis as a direct mediator. The Pope had been fully involved in the negotiations since September of that year and had personally received both Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry, but Kenneth Hackett, the US ambassador to the Holy See, a renowned diplomat with 16 honorary doctorates from as many US Catholic universities and a very long experience in the field of international aid in conflict zones, also acted with a more discreet but very effective profile.
The Russian Federation took notice of the importance of the Vatican (remember Stalin disparaging the Vatican with his phrase "how many (military) divisions does the Pope have?") and when in 2009 it established full relations with the Holy See (although it initiated contacts with Rome immediately after the fall of communism) it appointed Nikolai Sadchikov as ambassador, a veteran diplomat with good relations not only in the Kremlin but also with the Russian Orthodox Church. He was replaced in 2013 by the current ambassador, Alexander Avdeev, another long career diplomat, former Putin's minister, a great connoisseur of Catholicism and highly esteemed by the top hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church. In other words, a very high profile and very interesting for the Vatican because the ambassador could play a key role in facilitating dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican. And that dialogue not only has a religious background but also (and especially at a time of war between Russia and Ukraine) a political one.
Thus, two major superpowers (at least so far) take great care over the profile of their ambassadors to the Vatican. For them, it is not a question of an honorary post where their diplomats placidly await retirement, but is about having an open communication channel with a global actor.
So, dear reader, when your country appoints an ambassador to the Holy See, take a look at the nominee's profile and judge whether or not your country attaches importance to the post. And, if you think so, judge whether it is a wise strategy or not.