Vatican City State: How the World’s Smallest Country Is Governed

Though it covers less than half a square kilometer, Vatican City State operates with a level of legal, administrative, and diplomatic complexity unmatched by any other nation. Its governance is not designed for territorial power or economic expansion, but for one essential purpose: safeguarding the independence of the Pope and enabling the Catholic Church to act freely on a global scale.

In a recent interview with the Spanish edition of EWTN News, Juan Ignacio Arrieta, Secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, offered rare insight into how this unique state functions—from its legal system and institutions to its international role.

A State Unlike Any Other

At the heart of Vatican governance lies a crucial distinction often misunderstood: the difference between the Holy Seeand Vatican City State.

The Holy See is the spiritual and administrative authority of the universal Catholic Church, exercising jurisdiction over more than a billion faithful worldwide. Vatican City State, by contrast, exists to guarantee the Holy See’s independence from all secular powers.

Established under the Lateran Treaties of 1929, Vatican City State is internationally recognized as a sovereign entity. Its territory—roughly 0.49 square kilometers—ensures that the Pope is not subject to any foreign government while carrying out his pastoral and diplomatic mission.

Remarkably, as Archbishop Arrieta notes, the Pope is the only full citizen of Vatican City. All others—clergy, guards, employees—hold temporary residency or work permits tied to their service.

Law for a Global Church

Unlike national legal systems limited by borders, Vatican law must address a global reality. The Dicastery for Legislative Texts assists the Pope in drafting and interpreting laws that apply to the entire Catholic Church, across vastly different cultures and societies.

Canon law governs everything from parish administration and episcopal authority to penal matters and marriage nullity cases. “The Church functions as a society,” Archbishop Arrieta explains, “and every society requires its own legal framework.”

This universal scope makes Vatican legislation fundamentally different from the civil laws of any single country.

Crime, Courts, and Justice

Despite its size, Vatican City operates a complete judicial system, including courts and detention facilities. Civil crimes committed within its territory—however minor—fall under Vatican jurisdiction.

Archbishop Arrieta offers a simple illustration: if someone steals a bottle from a Vatican store, Vatican gendarmes intervene, and the case proceeds through the Vatican legal system. Depending on international agreements, prosecution may occur either within Vatican courts or in the offender’s home country.

Even the 1981 assassination attempt on John Paul II, which occurred in St. Peter’s Square, was handled through cooperation between Vatican and Italian authorities—demonstrating how sovereignty and diplomacy intersect in practice.

A State with Everyday Infrastructure

What surprises many visitors is how ordinary—and functional—daily life inside Vatican City can be. The state operates its own post office, radio service, financial institutions, railway station, and even a supermarket primarily serving employees and residents.

Vatican Radio broadcasts in dozens of languages, reaching remote regions via shortwave transmissions. The Vatican postal system processes thousands of letters addressed to the Pope each year—many of which receive personal replies on his behalf.

The Vatican railway, originally built for diplomatic purposes, now also serves tourists with seasonal routes connecting Vatican City to Castel Gandolfo.

Protecting the Pope

Security remains a defining feature of Vatican governance. The Pontifical Swiss Guard, founded in 1506, continues a centuries-old tradition of loyalty. Their most famous act of sacrifice occurred during the Sack of Rome in 1527, when over a hundred guards died protecting the Pope.

Today, they serve alongside modern security forces, blending ceremonial heritage with contemporary protection duties.

A Universal Mission

For Archbishop Arrieta, the most striking aspect of Vatican life is not its history or authority, but its profound universality. People from every continent, culture, and language work side by side, united by a shared faith.

“What you experience here,” he says, “is the universality of the Church—men and women from very different backgrounds living the same faith, believing in the same truth, and striving to love Jesus Christ more deeply.”

In this sense, Vatican City State is far more than the world’s smallest country. It is the legal and institutional framework that allows a global Church to exist, to speak freely, and to remain independent—at the service of a faith that transcends borders.