Appendix II - The Lateran Pacts of 1929

Summary

THE TREATY

In the name of the Most Holy Trinity,

considering:

That the Holy See and Italy have recognized the advisability of eliminating every reason for enmity by settling in a permanent way their relations according to justice and to the dignity of the two High Contracting Parties and that, permanently assuring to the Holy See a state of right and fact that will guarantee to it absolute independence for the exercise of its high mission in the world, will enable the Holy See to recognize as definitely and irrevocably settled the ‘Roman Question’ which arose in 1870 with the annexation of Rome to the Kingdom of Italy under the dynasty of the House of Savoy;

that, to assure to the Holy See absolute and visible independence and an indisputable sovereignty even in the international world, it has been deemed necessary to create, by special arrangements, the ‘Vatican City,’ recognising to the Holy See the full property, exclusive dominion and sovereign jurisdiction over the said City.