Fundamental Law of Vatican City State

The Basic Law of the State of the Vatican City ( Italian: Legge fondamentale dello Stato della Città del Vaticano ) was announced on 26 November 2000 by Pope John Paul II. It entered into force on 22 February 2001.

It replaces the Basic Law of Vatican City from 1929, that of Pope Pius XI. had been taken as a result of the Lateran Pacts.

Content

The Basic Law consists solely of an organizational part and not from an organizational and programmatic part, as is common practice. It consists of 20 articles regarding the following aspects:

  • Article 1 of the Basic Law combines the powers of the legislative, executive and judicial powers in the person of the Pope as sovereign of Vatican City State.
  • Article 2 governs the foreign relations and transfers it to the State Secretariat of the Roman Curia.
  • Articles 3-14 deal with the legislative and executive powers, which are exercised in the name of the Pope by Cardinal Commission.
  • Articles 15-19 deal with the judiciary. Here, a revision right is granted and the Pope granted the exclusive right to grant pardon.
  • Article 20 defines the state symbols of the State of Vatican City.

Special

In addition to the Basic Law of the State of Vatican City, there are other constitutionally normative laws for the Vatican:

Thus, the Code of Canon Law defines in his "Book I General standards " the nature of laws, decrees, statutes and ordinances and in his "Book II people of God " the hierarchical constitution of the Catholic Church, and thus the status of the Pope.

The Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis controls the time during the vacancy of the Holy See and the election of a new pope.

The Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus regulates the responsibilities within the Curia.

The day of the promulgation of the Basic Law and the day of entry into force are chosen symbolically:

  • November 26, 2000 as the day of delivery was the Christ the King Church in the calendar. Thus the sovereignty of Jesus Christ should be emphasized by the Pope derives his own sovereignty.
  • February 22 is the day of the Church's feast Chair of Peter on which the Catholic Church of the acquisition of the episcopate of Rome by Peter remembers.
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