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Show PAPAL DIPLOMATIC SERVICE During the early history of the Catholic Church the custom was followed of sending a temporary legate to remove causes of discord and re-establish friendly relations with civil authorities, but since the closing years of the fifteenth century a permanent perma-nent representative of the Pope has been stationed at the capitals of the various Catholic nations. The supreme head and guiding spirit of the entire en-tire pontifical diplomatic service is the Sovereign Pontiff. He marks out the policy to be adopted and the course to be pursued by the subaltern personnel, and no important transaction can be arranged or concluded without his knowledge and approval. The practical supervision and management of these matters is entrusted to the secretary of state, who is aided and advised on all important occasions by the Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Ecclesias-tical Affairs. The diplomatic corps consists of legates leg-ates of various ranks accredited to some twenty nations na-tions of Europe and South America. Papal or apostolic secretaries were first employed by Innocent YI during the sojourn of the pontifical court at Avignon. The custom was retained by his successors, though the number of these officials fluctuated considerably during the various pontificates. pontifi-cates. At the present time there are but two papal secretaries, the secretary of state and the secretary of briefs to princes and of Latin letters. Before the loss of the temporal power of the Popes the secretary of state had a number of duties which have fallen into abeyance. He negotiated commercial treaties with foreign states, looked after the defense pf the papal frontiers, provided for the naturalization of foreigners and protected the rights of papal subjects in other countries. The administration of the pontifical diplomatic service is, practically speaking, in the hands of the secretary of state. With the consent of the Pope he selects the nuncios and other representatives of the different governments which maintain diplomatic relations re-lations with the papal court. lie furnishes these ambassadors am-bassadors with credential letters and instructions re garding the aim and objects of their mission and the methods they are to follow in their legations. He receives their reports on the state of religion in their districts and on the conduct of affairs in. touch with the conditions of the relations of the Church and state throughout the world. He is the trusted counsellor and mouthpiece of the Pope in devising de-vising and carrying into execution the politico-religious policy of the Holy See and concludes, in the name of the Pope, all important conventions and concordats with the nations of the world. He must keep a vigilant eye on the course of events in all the great capitals of the world in-order to give the Sovereign Pontiff timely information of any contemplated legislation which might militate against the interests of religion. On Tuesdays and Fridays he receives the diplomats accredited to the Holy See and returns the visits of ceremony of th' roval personages who have had audiences with tic Pope. In addition to these strictly diplomatic function.-, the secretary of state has many other important duties. du-ties. He receives and examines the petitions for tli' .--ection and dismemberment of dioceses and the rv ports on the character and fitness of those propose a for vacant episcopal sees in all countries of the, world which are under the common law of the ! Church, except Italy, and presents his opinions ami recommendations, based on these reports to the con- j sistorial Congregation for final action. The newly j created cardinals reveive their assignments through j the secretary of state, who also appoints, with th; j knowledge and consent of the Pope, the consultors of these congregations. He replies to the telegrams and letters of greeting and homage sent to the IIolv Father and on his behalf sends letetrs of commendation commen-dation and congratulations and bestows marks ot distinction on those who have performed some signal sig-nal service to religion by their writings or works of beneficence. As president of the Commission of Cardinals for the administration of the property of the Holy See. it is his duty to make up the annual budget of receipts re-ceipts and expenses and provide, for maintenance of the apostolic palaces. The present secretary of state is a member of the following important congregations congre-gations : Consistorial, Holy Office, Council. Sacred Rites and Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs. Until its recent annexation to the Congregation of the Council he was prefect of the congregation which had charge of the Holy House of Loretto. lie is also a member of the commission.? for Biblical ! Studies and for the Preservation of the Faith in the City of Rome and acts as cardinal protector for some nine religious orders and confraternities. Ecclesiastical Ec-clesiastical Review. 1 1 |