| Question Title | Posted By | Question Date |
|---|---|---|
| re: Birth rate (Vatican Citizenship) | Antonio | Wednesday, February 2, 2005 |
Question: Dear Patrick, Vatican citizenship is governed by the Lateran Agreements signed between the Holy See and Italy to create the Vatican City State, and by the internal civil laws and administrative regulations issued by the Pope and Government of the Vatican City in accordance with its Fundamental Law and with the obligations contracted in the aforementioned Agreements. Unlike other states, that adopt as criteria for citizenship the birth in the territory of the state or the descent from a citizen of the state, the criteria chosen by the Vatican is that of residence and/or possession of an office. The Vatican statute on citizenship is the Vatican Law III of June, 7th, 1929, enacted by Pope Pius XI. According to this law, the following are regarded temporal subjects of the Pope in his capacity as sovereign of the Vatican City State: a) Cardinals residing in the Vatican or in Rome outside the Vatican; b) those who have habitual residence in the Vatican by reason of rank, digntiy, office or function, when such residence is required by law (civil or canon law) or by regulation, or when such residence in the Papal Court is authorized by the Pope, the Cardinal Secretary of State or by the Government of Vatican City. c) others to whom the Pope, by a sovereign decision, grants the right of residence in the Vatican, even if they do not hold any office or actually come to reside in the State. Also, under article 2 of the Law, the children and wives of a lay citizen can be granted citizenship. (There are laymen working for the Vatican, such as the Director of the Press Office). The Vatican citizens are issued with a passport, and they do not automaticaly lose their citizenship merely by the loss of residence or office, except in those cases where such automatic loss is prescribed by the statute. Vatican citizenship can be resigned, and one can also be deprived of it in accordance with the law. *** As of December 31st 2003, there were 552 persons having the Vatican citizenship, of which 61 Cardinals, 290 of the Clergy having status as members of the Pontifical Representations, 56 other members of the Clergy, 101 members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and 44 other lay persons. The persons authorized to reside in the Vatican City maintaining their original citizenship were 253, of the aforementioned numbers. The persons residing in buildings outside of the Vatican City in buildings exempt from expropriation and taxation were 3,100 on the above mentioned date. From January 1st till December 31st 2003 have been transcribed 86 marriage acts. *** (From the Vatican Website) Thus, mere birth in the Vatican would not authomaticaly grant citizenship or right of abode. |
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| Question Answered by Mr. Jacob Slavek
Dear Antonio, Thanks for the information. Mr. Slavek Footer Notes: (a) A Eucharistic Minister is clergy (Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion). Laity are Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and should never be called Eucharistic Ministers. (b) There is no such Mass called the Novus Ordo. The Current Mass is the Roman Missal of 2000, or the Oridinary Form of the Mass. The Tridentine Mass is the Roman Missal of 1962, or the Extraordinary Form of the Mass. Please refrain from using the term, Novus Ordo. Thanks. (c) The titles of Acolyte and Lector belong exclusively to the Installed Offices of Acolyte and Lector, who are men (only) appointed by the Bishop. These roles performed by others are Altar Servers and Readers, respectively. |
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