Vatican City: How the world’s smallest state is governed The Vatican, the smallest state in the world, possesses a unique and complex legal, administrative, and spiritual structure designed to guarantee the independence of the pope and allow the Church to act freely throughout the world. Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, in an interview with the Spanish-language edition of EWTN News, detailed how this tiny nation is governed, how its institutions operate, and what role the Holy See plays in the world. A unique governance structure Arrieta explained that the Dicastery for Legislative Texts \u2014 where he has served for 18 years \u2014 is one of the departments that collaborates directly with the pope in the governance of the Church. \u201cThe dicasteries are the ministries of the Holy See; they are like the departments that serve the pope \u2026 and this one is dedicated to the preparation of laws, to the oversight of the laws of the entire Church,\u201d he said. Unlike traditional states, these norms govern worldwide. \u201cThey apply to all five continents. They are not like the laws of Spain, Argentina, or Mexico. These are laws that must be created for the entire Church, with its different cultures,\u201d he noted. This legislation covers everything from the administration of parishes to issues such as canon law offenses and declarations of a marriage annulment: \u201cThe Church functions like a society\u2026 and that society has its specific laws.\u201d The reason for the existence of the Vatican City State Although many confuse the Holy See with Vatican City State, Arrieta clarified that they are distinct entities. The Holy See is the spiritual and governing authority of the universal Church; the Vatican City State, on the other hand, exists to protect its independence. \u201cIt is a tiny state \u2014 only half a square kilometer (.19 sq. mi.) \u2014 that was created to protect the pope’s independence from all temporal power,\u201d he explained. That territory was created after the Lateran Treaties of 1929, by which the Kingdom of Italy recognized the independence, sovereignty, and borders of what would become Vatican City. Arrieta noted that Italy \u201calso ceded to the Holy See certain places, buildings, and palaces in Rome that are the property of the Holy See and are extraterritorial,\u201d such as the St. Mary Major Basilica and the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. A surprising fact: \u201cThe only actual citizen is the pope,\u201d he explained, while the rest have temporary residence or work permits. What happens when someone commits a crime? Even though it is small, the Vatican functions like any other state, with courts and prisons. Arrieta gave a common example: \u201cWhat happens if someone goes to the supermarket inside the Vatican, takes a bottle of cognac, puts it in his pocket, and walks out?… It’s a civil crime in the Vatican… the gendarmes catch the person and take him to court.\u201d Criminal proceedings can take place in Vatican territory or in the country of origin, according to international agreements. The secretary of the dicastery noted that even with the assassination attempt on St. John Paul II, which occurred in Vatican territory, \u201cthe Vatican asked Italy to prosecute [the accused].\u201d A state with a bank, radio station, train, and supermarket Daily life within the Vatican has peculiarities that surprise visitors. Regarding the network of services, Arrieta explained about the Vatican Bank: \u201cIt’s not properly speaking a bank … it helps the Holy See to be able to move money and assist the missions.\u201d On Vatican Radio, he said: \u201cIt broadcasts in very many languages … even on shortwave to reach very distant places.\u201d The pope receives thousands of letters that are processed through the Vatican\u2019s postal service. \u201cIf you send a letter to the pope, it\u2019s possible that someone will read it \u2026 and respond kindly on the pope\u2019s behalf.\u201d There is a supermarket and a shopping center in the Vatican that are mainly open for employees and residents. There is also the famous Vatican train and train station that was initially built to receive foreign dignitaries. Today, part of its facilities function as a shop and in the summer, a tourist train runs from Vatican Station to Castel Gandolfo. The Swiss Guard and the defense of the pope The origin of the corps that protects the Holy Father dates back to the year 1506. They famously defended the papacy during the Sack of Rome in 1527, when “over a hundred [Swiss soldiers] died defending the pontiff. Since then, the Swiss Guard has maintained this tradition of loyalty. The universality of the Church Arrieta said that the most striking thing about the Vatican is not its power or history, but its transcendent spiritual life: \u201cThe most impressive thing here is how one experiences the universality of the Church. How one appreciates that in people of very different origins, of very different cultural backgrounds, we live the same faith and believe in the same things.\u201d This constant contact with a diverse group of people in the Vatican \u201cis experiencing the universality of the Church. We are all trying to love Jesus, the Lord, more, and to live the same things and to spread the same faith,\u201d he added. This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA\u2019s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.Diego L\u00f3pez Marina contributed to this report. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Paola Arriaza Flynn Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. 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