Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 9.djvu/146

 LSaATE lid LEGATE

mediaiy existed at the Byzantine Court. During the The lastiegate a latere was also sent to France m 1856. IconocLsist troubles of the eighth century this office in the person of Cardinal Patrizi, to baptize the Prince disappeared, but was temporarily revived in the West Impenal. The " Diario di Roma" of that year gives when the empire was restored by Leo III (795-816). all the particulars of the proclamation of the appoint- Finally, however^ the necessity and freauency of ex- ment in a consistory of 27 August, and of the cere- traorainarylegations,the weakening and later division monies which accompanied the departure of the of the empire among the successors of Charlemagne. legate. The same Cardinal Patrizi on that occasion rendered useless and almost impossible the presence ot was deputed to present the Golden Rose to thl^ Em- Apostolic legates at the Frankish court. press Eug6iiie. The powers of the legate a latere are LegoH Nati, — Almost contemporaneously with the of the most ample character, both in matters of litiga- apocrisiarius, the popes established in the fourth cen- tion and favours. He journeys with an imposing tury another class of legates, of a purely ecclesiastical suite; immediately after leaving Rome the cross is character, known eventually as feoo/i wail, or perpetual borne before him, and in his presence not even pa- legates. The^ may be regarded!^ as originating^ from triarchs have the right that thou* cross should precede the "Apostohc vicars *' established by Popes Dama- them; bishops cannot give episcopal blessings without sus I (366-84) and Siricius (384-99). To provide his consent. According to the present usage, how- more expeditiously for ecclesiastical discipline and to ever, a cardinal sent on a mission does not always bear facilitate the dispatch of ecclesiastical affairs, the the title of legate a latere, as in the case of a cardinal aforesaid popes deemed it opportune to attach to cer- sent by the pope to represent him at some religious tain sees (and first to ThSssaionica) the title and duties gathcnug, like the Eucharistic Congresses of West- of Apostohc vicar. The same title and duties were minster, Cologne, and Montreal. The Decretals and conferred by later popes on other sees. The prelates the Council of Trent clearly defined the powers of who successively occupied those sees came to be known legates missi and legates a latere. Since the lat- aslegatinati, inasmuch as by their election to the said tcr were sent only for very important matters, the sees they became ipso facto Apostolic legates, that custom of sending legati missi became more frequent, office bemg attached to the see itself. In the course Nuncios. — In the thirteenth century legati missi of time legati nati became very numerous; in France came to be known as nuncios, by which name they are those of Aries (545), Sens (876), Lyons (1097); in yet called. After the Council of Trent nuncios were Spain those of Tarragona (517), Seville (520), Toledo established permanently in various countries. Besides

!1088); in Germany those of Trier (969), Salzburg an ecclesiastical mission, they have also a diplomatic

973); in Italy that of Pisa; in England that of Can- character, having been from their origin accredited tp

terbury, etc. In the beginning the faculties of legati courts or governments. Their jurisdiction is ordinary.

nati were very ample^ namely, the right of visiting the but it is customary at present to grant them special

dioceses of the province, of examining the status of faculties, according to the needs of the country to

candidates for bishoprics, of consecrating the metro- which they are sent; such faculties are conveyed in a

politan, etc.; eventually^ however, these faculties special Brief. They are -also given credential letters

were much lessened, and m the eleventh century the to be presented to the ruler of the country, and par-

legati nati practically ceased to exist. In our day the ticular instructions in writing. The nuncios are

sees to which was annexed such privilege have no usually titular archbishops; occasionally, however,

longer any extraordinary jurisdiction, though some bishopsorarchbishopsof residential sees are appointed

enjoy an honorary distmction; the Archbishop of to the office. Some nuncios are of the first and some

SauDurg, for example, may wear the cardinalatial of the second class, the only difference between them

purple, even in Rome. being that, at the end of their mission, those of the

Legati Missi. — ^The ecclesiastical conditions of the first class are usually promoted to the cardinalate.

tenth and deventh centuries were responsible for the Vienna, Madrid, and Lisbon have nuncios of the first

cessation of the office of legati nati. Ecclesiastical life cLiss. Paris was also of this class, but, on account of

was then in many ways and places ill-regulated^ and eo- the rupture of diplomatic relations between France

clesiastical discipline very htx; the legati nati proved and the Vatican which took place in 1907, it has

incapable of remedying these evils, either because some- at present no represent ati ve of the Holy See. Bavaria,

times their own conduct was not exemplary or because Belgium, and Brazil have nuncios of the second class.

they were negligent in the discharge of their duties. There is no specified period for the duration of the term

The Holy See was obliged to combat these abuses by of a nuncio s office; it depends on circumstances and

choosing and sending into various countries persons the will of the pope.

who could be depended upon to secure the desired Internuncios. — According to the present disciplinCi

results (Luxardo, " Das p&pstliche Vordekretalen- there are also internuncios, who in the order of pon^

Gesandschaftsrecht"^ 1878). Thus came into exist- tifical diplomacy follow immediatelv after nuncios.

ence the legati missi, or special envoys. Later all These also are frequently titular archbishops, always

those whom the Holy See sent on a special mission have a diplomatic character, and are sent to govem-

were called legati missi, even those who were to preside ments of less importance. They are equivalent to

at some solemn ceremony, e. g. a royal baptism or mar- ministers of the second class, have the same faculties

ria^:tho9eAppointed to meet anemperor or a sovereign as nuncios, and are furnished with similar credentials

visiting Rome, etc. This title was also given to those and instructions. At present there are internuncios

who were chosen to rule some provinces of the Pontifi- in Holland, Argentina, and Chile. In Holland, how-

cal States, e. g. the legate of Bologna, of Urbino, etc. ever, because of the exclusion of the Holy See from the

Legati a Latere. — ^About the same time another form Peace Conference of 1899, the internuncio, Monsignor

of legation was established, which became and is the Tamassi, was recalled, and now there is only a papal

highest, i. e. the legaH a latere. The legate a latere is charge d'affaires. The internuncio of Holland is also

always a cardinal, and this name arises from the fact accredited to the Grand Duchy of Luxemburg,

that a cardinal, being a member of the senate of the Apostolic Delegates and Envoys Extraordinary. —

pope, Is considered as an intimate, one attached to the Actually there are also papal representatives known

very aide of the Roman Pontiff. Other authorities as Apostolic delegates and envoys extraordinary,

denye this title from the custom of receiving the in- Apostolic delegates, strictly spcaldnK, are always

signia and the office in the presence, or at the side, of the ecclesiastical in character, and are usually sent by the

pope. Such legates are sent on missions of the greatest Congregation of Propaganda to missionary countries.

imp ortap ce, e. g. the legate a latere sent to France by However, the pontifical secretariate of state is accus-

Pius Yll, in the person of Cardinal Giovanni Battista tomed to send Apostolic delegates purely ecclasiastical

Oipcwa^ to execute the famous Concordat of 1801. in character to countries wMch hiAve not diplomatio