Vatican City
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- elective ecclesiastical monarchy; self-defined as an "absolute monarchy"
- CONSTITUTION
- February 22, 2001 (Fundamental Law of the Vatican City State, main regulatory act of Vatican civil entities); in June 2018, Pope Francis approved the first draft of the Council of Cardinals for the new apostolic constitution, Predicato Evangelium (Preaching the Gospel); it came into effect on June 5, 2022, replacing Pastor Bonus, the previous governing document of the Roman Curia
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- religious legal system based on canon law (religious); it has not submitted to the jurisdiction of the ICJ
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, Pontifical Commission for the Vatican City State
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court or Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (composed of the cardinal prefect, who serves as the ex officio president of the tribunal, and 2 other cardinals from the Prefectural Signatura); Court of Appeal of the Vatican City; Tribunal of the Vatican City
RELIGIONS
Roman Catholic
From the country
- DECEMBER 12, 2024Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
POPE CALLS FOR DEBT FORGIVENESS, ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Pope Francis called for debt relief for the poor countries of the South of the globe and the universal abolition of the death penalty in his message for World Peace Day 2025, which takes place on January 1.
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2022Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
POPE FRANCIS CALLS FOR WORLDWIDE END TO DEATH PENALTY
Pope Francis called for a worldwide end to the death penalty in a video released on 31 August 2022 announcing his prayer intention for September.
- OCTOBER 20, 2020Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
Vatican City - Orthodox Church Patriarch Calls Death Penalty Incompatible with Christian Beliefs.
Vatican City - Orthodox Church Patriarch Calls Death Penalty Incompatible with Christian Beliefs.
OCTOBER 3, 2020Vatican CityDEATH PENALTYUSA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
USA - Vatican City. New Papal Encyclical Tells Catholics There is ‘No Stepping Back’ From Opposition to Death Penalty.
- JUNE 25, 2020Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
VATICAN CITY - “The new Directory for Catechesis”, recalls that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”
VATICAN CITY - “The new Directory for Catechesis”, recalls that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”
- JANUARY 1, 2020Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
- JANUARY 1, 2019Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
- AUGUST 17, 2018Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
USA - Vatican City. 75 Catholic priests and scholars ask Francis to backtrack on death penalty
USA - Vatican City. 75 Catholic priests and scholars ask Francis to backtrack on death penalty
- AUGUST 2, 2018Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
POPE CHANGES CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHING ON DEATH PENALTY, BRANDS IT ‘INADMISSIBLE’ & WANTS ABOLITION
The Roman Catholic Church said that the death penalty is always inadmissible as it “attacks” human dignity, calling for its abolition worldwide. The statement marks a change in Catholic Church teaching.
- AUGUST 1, 2018Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis Formally Changes Catholic Church Stance on Death Penalty, Calling It “Inadmissible”.
VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis Formally Changes Catholic Church Stance on Death Penalty, Calling It “Inadmissible”.
- JANUARY 1, 2018Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
The Vatican formally abolished the death penalty from its constitution in 2001.
- OCTOBER 11, 2017Vatican CityDEATH PENALTY
POPE FRANCIS: DEATH PENALTY IS CONTRARY TO THE GOSPEL
In a speech to members of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, Pope Francis said the topic of the death penalty should have “a more adequate and coherent space” in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.