DIPLOMATIC CORPS. - It consists of the body of diplomatic agents permanently accredited to a given State, who are usually considered collectively for merely protocol reasons, but sometimes for the performance of legally relevant acts (e.g. presentation of a note of protest; v. AGENTE DIPLOMATICO).
THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS ACCREDITED TO THE HOLY SEE
It is made up of the diplomatic agents accredited, with ordinary and permanent character, to the Holy See. The latter in fact exercises the right of active and passive legation; therefore, as a rule, the countries to which a nuncio or an internuncio is accredited, and sometimes others as well, have their own diplomatic representative at the Vatican.
The origin of such representations may be placed toward the end of the 15th century, while from the following century they assumed a permanent character.
At present (1949) the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See is composed of sixteen ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary (Argentina, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Ireland, Italy, Peru, Poland, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Spain and Venezuela) and of twenty-five envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary (Austria, Czechoslovakia, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Egypt, El Salvador, Finland, Great Britain, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Liberia, Lithuania, the Principality of Monaco, Nicaragua, the Netherlands, the Order of Malta, Panama, Romania, San Marino, Hungary and Uruguay), to whom must be added the personal representative of the President of the United States of America, who has the rank of ambassador. In the past Japan had accredited to the Holy See a delegate, likewise with the rank of ambassador.
The envoys of foreign governments to the Holy See enjoy all the prerogatives and immunities pertaining, according to the norms of international law, to diplomatic agents; prerogatives that are likewise recognized to them, in conformity with art. 12 of the Lateran Treaty, with regard to the Italian State (on whose territory they may freely reside), even when the accrediting State has no diplomatic relations with Italy. Under art. 19 of the aforementioned Treaty, the diplomats and envoys of foreign Governments to the Holy See may enter Vatican territory through Italian territory with only the passport of the State of origin visaed by a pontifical representative abroad.