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In spite of the opposition of the French revolution and the Napoleon period, the prestige of the Pontifical Representation rose to its highest peak with the Congress of Vienna in 1815 which adopted the rules of international relations formalized with the Agreement of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1818.

At that time, it was confirmed that the Papal Representative would continue to be granted the prestige of precedence, because he represented the highest spiritual and moral authority.

Even when the Papal States disappeared and Rome was occupied in 1870, thus depriving the Pope of any territory, Papal diplomacy continued. Between 1870 and 1929, the year when Vatican City State was created, the Pope, although with no territory as such, continued to send Nuncios and receive Ambassadors. The Popes were also intensely involved in international arbitration, seeking ways to solve controversies between countries: between Germany and Spain in 1885; England and Portugal in 1895; Argentina and Chile in 1896; Columbia and Peru in 1905; and Ecuador and Columbia in 1906.

These historical facts confirm that the legitimacy of Papal diplomacy is not based on temporal power, but on spiritual and moral authority. The international community then recognizes, what we call in modern language, the Papacy, a singular service to the communion of the Catholic Church around the world and which is recognized as a unique moral voice. It enjoys an international personality and is called the Holy See.

In 1929, as I mentioned above, Mussolini and Church authorities decided to create a Vatican City State which would be independent and immune from the political life of Italy. At that time, international law conceived sovereignty only with reference to territory. So with the creation of Vatican City State, the Pope is independent from all world powers and, therefore, free to exercise his ministry of assuring the union within the Church and exercising his moral authority within the international community.