What is the Holy See and why does Vatican City exist as an independent state?
The 'Holy See' (Sancta Sedes) is the episcopal jurisdiction and supreme governing authority of the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) over the universal Catholic Church. Vatican City State is the small sovereign territory established by the Lateran Treaty in 1929. Its primary purpose is not political power, but to guarantee the complete spiritual freedom, diplomatic sovereignty, and independence of the Pope and the Holy See from control by any secular nation or political empire.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 882
- Matthew 16:18-19
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.