Basic Law of the State of the Vatican City

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

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

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Flag of the Vatican State

The Basic Law consists exclusively of an organizational part and not of an organizational and programmatic part, as is generally the case. It consists of 20 articles that regulate the following aspects:

  • Article 1 of the Basic Law unites the powers of the legislative , executive and judicial branches in the person of the Pope as sovereign of the Vatican State .
  • Article 2 regulates foreign relations and transfers them to the State Secretariat of the Roman Curia .
  • Articles 3–14 deal with the legislative and executive branches, which are exercised in the name of the Pope by a cardinal commission.
  • Articles 15–19 deal with the judiciary. A right of revision is granted and the Pope is granted the exclusive right to pardon.
  • Article 20 defines the state symbols of the Vatican City State.

particularities

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

The Codex of Canon Law defines in its “Book I General Norms” the essence of laws, decrees, statutes and regulations and in its “Book II People of God” the hierarchical constitution of the Catholic Church and thus also the legal status of the Pope.

The Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis regulates the time during the vacancy of the Holy See and the election of the Pope.

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

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

  • November 26, 2000 as the day of the announcement was the feast of Christ the King in the church calendar . This was to emphasize the sovereignty of Jesus Christ from whom the Pope derives his own sovereignty.
  • February 22nd is the day of the ecclesiastical festival Kathedra Petri , on which the Catholic Church commemorates the assumption of the episcopate of Rome by Peter.

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