Secretariat of State

History

• 1487.12.31: Established as Apostolic Secretariat (English) / Secretaria Apostolica (latine)
• 1908.06.29: Renamed as Secretariat of State (English) / Staatssekretariat (Deutsch) / Secretaría de Estado (español) / Sécrétairerie d’État (français) / Segreteria di Stato (Italiano) / Sekretariat Stanu (polski) / Secretaria de Estado (Português) / 國務院 (中文) / 国務省 (日本語) / Staatssecretariaat (Nederlands) / 국무원 (한국어) / Secretaria Status (latine)
• 1967.08.15: Merged with the suppressed Secretariat of Briefs to Princes and Secretariat of Latin Letters
• 1973.02.27: Merged with the suppressed Apostolic Chancery
• 1989.03.01: Merged with the suppressed Council for the Public Affairs of the Church
• 1993.01.15: Merged with the suppressed Pontifical Commission for Russia

Documents: (x 55)

Associated Organizations

• Central Statistics Office of the Church
• Financial Security Committee
• Pontifical Commission for the Activities of Public Juridical Persons of the Church in the Healthcare Sector
• Council of the Section for Relations with States and International Organisations
• Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy

Present Officials

Secretary of State (2013.08.31 [2013.10.15] – ...):	Cardinal Pietro Parolin (71) Cardinal-Bishop of Ss. Simone e Giuda Taddeo a Torre Angela President of Interdicastery Commission for the Church in Eastern Europe President of Interdicastery Commission on Particular Churches President of Council of the Section for Relations with States and International Organisations President of Pontifical Commission for the Activities of Public Juridical Persons of the Church in the Healthcare Sector Member of Council of Cardinals Grand Chancellor of Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy Cardinal Protector of Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
Secretary for Relations with States (2014.11.08 – ...):	Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher (72) Titular Archbishop of Hodelm Secretary of Interdicastery Commission for the Church in Eastern Europe
Secretary for Pontifical Representations (2022.09.10 – ...):	Archbishop Luciano Russo (62) Titular Archbishop of Monteverde Vice-Grand Chancellor of Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
Undersecretary for Relations with States (2025.11.19 – ...):	Msgr. Mihăiţă Blaj (47) Priest of Iaşi (Romania) Member of Financial Security Committee Chaplain of His Holiness
Undersecretary for the Multilateral Sector of Relations with States (2023.01.10 – ...):	Msgr. Daniel Pacho (52) Priest of Fulda (Germany) Prelate of Honour of His Holiness
Undersecretary for Diplomatic Personnel (2023.09.14 – ...):	Msgr. Joseph Murphy (57) Priest of Cloyne (Ireland) Prelate of Honour of His Holiness
Substitute for General Affairs (2026.03.30 – ...):	Archbishop Paolo Rudelli (55) Titular Archbishop of Mesembria
Assessor for General Affairs (2025.11.19 – ...):	Msgr. Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo (44) President of Financial Security Committee Priest of Umuahia (Nigeria) Chaplain of His Holiness
Head of Protocol (2023.09.14 – ...):	Msgr. Javier Domingo Fernández González (52) Priest of Caracas (Venezuela) Prelate of Honour of His Holiness
Deputy Head of Protocol (2021.09.01 – ...):	Msgr. Bruno Bastos Lins Priest of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) Chaplain of His Holiness

Past Officials Secretary of State: Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B. (91) (2006.09.15 – 2013.10.15) Secretary of State: Cardinal Angelo Sodano (1991.06.29 – 2006.09.15) Secretary of State: Cardinal Agostino Casaroli (1979.07.01 – 1990.12.01) Secretary of State: Cardinal Jean-Marie Villot (1969.05.02 – 1979.03.09) Secretary of State: Cardinal Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (1961.08.12 – 1969.05.02) Secretary of State: Cardinal Domenico Tardini (1958.11.17 – 1961.07.30) Secretary of State: Cardinal Luigi Maglione (1939.03.10 – 1944.08.22) Secretary of State: Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli (later Pope Pius XII) (1930.02.09 – 1939.03.02) Secretary of State: Cardinal Pietro Gasparri (1914.10.13 – 1930.02.07) Secretary of State: Cardinal Domenico Ferrata (1914.09.04 – 1914.10.10) Secretary of State: Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta (1903.11.12 – 1914.08.20) Secretary of State: Cardinal Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro (1887.06.02 – 1902?) Secretary of State: Cardinal Lodovico Jacobini (1880.12.16 – 1887.02.28) Secretary of State: Cardinal Lorenzo Nina (1878.08.09 – 1880.12.16) Secretary of State: Cardinal Alessandro Franchi (1878.03.05 – 1878.07.31) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giovanni Simeoni (1876.12.18 – 1878.03.05?) Secretary of State: Cardinal Luigi Ciacchi (1848.03 – 1848.05.08) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giuseppe Bofondi (1848.02.01 – 1848.03.10) Secretary of State: Cardinal Gabriele Ferretti (1847.07.17 – 1852.03.18) Secretary of State: Cardinal Tommaso Pasquale Gizzi (1846.08.08 – 1849.06.03) Secretary of State: Cardinal Luigi Lambruschini, B. (1836.01.12 – 1846.06.01) Secretary of State: Cardinal Tommaso Bernetti (1831.08 – 1836.01.20) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giuseppe Albani (1829.03.31 – 1834.12.03) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giulio Maria Della Somaglia (1823 – 1828) Secretary of State: Cardinal Ercole Consalvi (1814.05.19 – 1824.01.24) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giulio Gabrielli (1808.03.26 – 1814.07.26) Secretary of State: Cardinal Filippo Casoni (1806.06 – 1808.03) Secretary of State: Cardinal Ercole Consalvi (1800.08.11 – 1806.06.17) Secretary of State: Cardinal Ignazio Busca (1796.08 – 1797.03.15) Secretary of State: Cardinal Francesco Saverio De Zelada (1789.10.13 – 1796) Secretary of State: Cardinal Luigi Maria Torrigiani (1758.10.08 – 1777.01.06) Secretary of State: Cardinal Silvio Valenti Gonzaga (1740.08 – 1747?) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giuseppe Firrao (1733.10 – 1740.02.06) Secretary of State: Cardinal Antonio Banchieri (1730 – 1733.09.16) Secretary of State: Cardinal Nicolò Maria Lercari (1726.06.13 – 1757.03.21?) Secretary of State: Cardinal Fabrizio Paolucci (1724.06.06 – 1726.06.12) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giorgio Spínola (1721.05.10 – 1726?) Secretary of State: Cardinal Fabrizio Paolucci (1700.12.03 – 1721.03.19) Secretary of State: Cardinal Alderano Cibo-Malaspina (1676.09.23 – 1689.08.12) Secretary of State: Cardinal Francesco Nerli (1673.08 – ?) Secretary of State: Cardinal Federico Borromeo (1670 – 1673) Secretary of State: Cardinal Decio Azzolini (1667 – 1669) Secretary of State: Cardinal Giulio Rospigliosi (later Pope Clement IX) (1655.04 – 1667.05.22) Secretary of State: Cardinal Lorenzo Magalotti (1623.09 – 1628.05) Secretary of State: Cardinal Tolomeo Gallio (1572 – 1585) Secretary of State: Saint Cardinal Carlo Borromeo (Charles Borromeo) (1560 – 1584.11.03) Secretary of State: Cardinal Girolamo Dandini (1555? – 1559.12.04) Pro-Secretary of State: Cardinal Angelo Sodano (1990.12.01 – 1991.06.29) Pro-Secretary of State: Cardinal Agostino Casaroli (1979.04.28 – 1979.07.01) Pro-Secretary of State: Msgr. Domenico Tardini (later Cardinal) (1958.10.29 – 1958.11.17) Pro-Secretary of State: Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta (1903.08.04 – 1903.11.12) Pro-Secretary of State: Cardinal Tommaso Bernetti (1831.02.21 – 1831.08) Pro-Secretary of State: Cardinal Bartolomeo Pacca (1808.06.18 – 1814?) Pro-Secretary of State: Msgr. Ercole Consalvi (later Cardinal) (1800.03.15 – 1800.08.11) Pro-Secretary for Ordinary Affairs: Msgr. Giovanni Battista Montini (later Pope Paul VI, Saint) (1952.11.29 – 1954.11.01) Secretary for Relations with States: Archbishop Dominique François Joseph Mamberti (74) (later Cardinal) (2006.09.15 – 2014.11.08) Secretary for Relations with States: Archbishop Giovanni Lajolo (91) (later Cardinal) (2003.10.07 – 2006.09.15) Secretary for Relations with States: Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran (later Cardinal) (1990.12.01 – 2003.10.07) Secretary for Relations with States: Archbishop Angelo Sodano (later Cardinal) (1989.03.01 – 1990.12.01) Secretary for Pontifical Representations: Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawłowski (65) (2020.12.17 – 2022.09.10) Undersecretary for Relations with States: Msgr. Mirosław Stanisław Wachowski (55) (later Archbishop) (2019.10.24 – 2025.09.18) Undersecretary for Relations with States: Msgr. Antoine Camilleri (60) (later Archbishop) (2013.02.22 – 2019.09.03) Undersecretary for Relations with States: Msgr. Ettore Balestrero (59) (later Archbishop) (2009.08.17 – 2013.02.22) Undersecretary for Relations with States: Msgr. Pietro Parolin (71) (later Cardinal) (2002.11.30 – 2009.08.17) Undersecretary for Relations with States: Msgr. Celestino Migliore (73) (later Archbishop) (1995.12.16 – 2002.10.30) Undersecretary for Relations with States: Msgr. Claudio Maria Celli (84) (later Archbishop) (1990.12.01 – 1995.12.16) Undersecretary for Relations with States: Msgr. Jean-Louis Tauran (later Cardinal) (1989.03.01 – 1990.12.01) Undersecretary for the Multilateral Sector of Relations with States: Dr. Francesca Di Giovanni (2020.01.15 – 2023.01.10) Undersecretary for Diplomatic Personnel: Msgr. Mauricio Rueda Beltz (56) (later Archbishop) (2020.12.17 – 2023.06.16) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra (66) (2018.08.15 – 2026.03.30) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Giovanni Angelo Becciu (77) (later Cardinal) (2011.05.10 – 2018.06.28) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Fernando Filoni (斐洛尼) (80) (later Cardinal) (2007.06.09 – 2011.05.10) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Leonardo Sandri (82) (later Cardinal) (2000.09.16 – 2007.06.09) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re (92) (later Cardinal) (1989.12.12 – 2000.09.16) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Edward Idris Cassidy (葛錫迪) (later Cardinal) (1988.03.23 – 1989.12.12) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Eduardo Martínez Somalo (later Cardinal) (1979.05.05 – 1988.03.23) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Giuseppe Caprio (高理耀) (later Cardinal) (1977.06.14 – 1979.04.28) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Giovanni Benelli (later Cardinal) (1967.06.29 – 1977.06.03) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Angelo Dell’Acqua, O.Ss.C.A. (later Cardinal) (1953.02.17 – 1967.06.26) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Carlo Grano (later Cardinal) (1953.02.17 – 1958.12.13) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Giovanni Battista Montini (later Pope Paul VI, Saint) (1937.12.16 – 1952.11.29) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Domenico Tardini (later Cardinal) (1935.12.19 – 1937.12.16) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Alfredo Ottaviani (later Cardinal) (1929.06.07 – 1935.12.19) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Giuseppe Pizzardo (later Cardinal) (1921.05.07 – 1929.06.08) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Federico Tedeschini (later Cardinal) (1914.09.24 – 1921.03.31) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Nicola Canali (later Cardinal) (1908.03.21 – 1914.09.24) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Giacomo della Chiesa (later Pope Benedict XV) (1901.04.23 – 1907.12.18) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Luigi Tripepi (later Cardinal) (1896.10.01 – 1901.04.15) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Aristide Rinaldini (later Cardinal) (1893.05.31 – 1896.08.14) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Mario Mocenni (later Cardinal) (1882.12.16 – 1893.01.16) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Luigi Pallotti (later Cardinal) (1880.11.16 – 1882.10.29) Substitute for General Affairs: Fr. Serafino Cretoni (later Cardinal) (1879.09.19 – 1880.11.16) Substitute for General Affairs: Fr. Vicenzo Vannutelli (later Cardinal) (1876.12.29 – 1878.05.11) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Marino Marini (1868.03.13 – 1871.10.17) Substitute for General Affairs: Archbishop Giuseppe Berardi (later Cardinal) (1851.04.10 – 1868.03) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Vincenzo Santucci (later Cardinal) (1844.02.26 – 1850.07.11) Substitute for General Affairs: Msgr. Francesco Capaccini (later Cardinal) (1831.11 – 1844.02.10) Pro-Substitute: Fr. Serafino Cretoni (later Cardinal) (1878.05.11 – 1879.09.19) Pro-Substitute: Fr. Vicenzo Vannutelli (later Cardinal) (1875.09.23 – 1876.12.29) Pro-Substitute: Archbishop Marino Marini (1871.10.17 – 1875.09.23) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Roberto Campisi (47) (2022.10.26 – 2025.09.27) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Luigi Roberto Cona (60) (later Archbishop) (2019.10.24 – 2022.10.26) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Paolo Borgia (60) (later Archbishop) (2016.03.04 – 2019.09.03) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Peter Bryan Wells (62) (later Archbishop) (2009.07.16 – 2016.02.09) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Gabriele Giordano Caccia (68) (later Archbishop) (2002.12.17 – 2009.07.16) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Pedro López Quintana (72) (later Archbishop) (1998.02.07 – 2002.12.12) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. James Michael Harvey (76) (later Cardinal) (1997.07.22 – 1998.02.07) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Leonardo Sandri (82) (later Cardinal) (1992.04.02 – 1997.07.22) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Crescenzio Sepe (82) (later Cardinal) (1987.10.10 – 1992.04.02) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Giovanni Battista Re (92) (later Cardinal) (1979.12.01 – 1987.10.09) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Giovanni Coppa (later Cardinal) (1975.11.19 – 1979.12.01) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Eduardo Martínez Somalo (later Cardinal) (1970 – 1975.11.12) Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Sotero Sanz Villalba (later Archbishop) (1967 – 1970.07.16) Vice-Assessor for General Affairs: Msgr. Paolo Sardi (later Cardinal) (1992 – 1996.12.10) Chancellor of Apostolic Briefs: Bishop Ernesto Camagni (1960 – 1966.07.14) Chancellor of Apostolic Briefs: Msgr. Gildo Brugnola (1952 – 1960) Chancellor of Apostolic Briefs: Msgr. Domenico Spada (1922 – 1949) Chancellor of Apostolic Briefs: Msgr. Nicola Sebastiani (1914 – 1922) Chancellor of Apostolic Briefs: Msgr. Federico Tedeschini (later Cardinal) (1908.10.20 – 1914.09.24) Regent of Apostolic Briefs: Msgr. Gildo Brugnola (1949 – 1952) Delegate for Pontifical Representations: Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawłowski (65) (2015.12.07 – 2020.12.17) Delegate for Pontifical Representations: Archbishop Luciano Suriani (69) (2009.09.24 – 2015.12.07) Delegate for Pontifical Representations: Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò ▼ (85) (1998.04.04 – 2009.07.16) Delegate for Pontifical Representations: Archbishop Francesco Monterisi (91) (later Cardinal) (1990.08.28 – 1998.03.07) Bureau Chief for Special Affairs: Msgr. Giampiero Gloder (67) (later Archbishop) (2005 – 2013.09.21) Head of Protocol: Msgr. Joseph Murphy (57) (2018.03.22 – 2023.09.14) Head of Protocol: Msgr. José Avelino Bettencourt (63) (later Archbishop) (2012.11.14 – 2018.02.26) Head of Protocol: Msgr. Fortunatus Nwachukwu (65) (later Archbishop) (2007.09.04 – 2012.11.12) Head of Protocol: Msgr. Tommaso Caputo (75) (later Archbishop) (1993.06.19 – 2007.09.03) Head of Protocol: Msgr. Domenico De Luca (later Archbishop) (1989 – 1993.05.22) Head of Protocol: Msgr. Antonio Mauro (later Archbishop) (1963 – 1967.07.04) Head of Protocol: Msgr. Igino Eugenio Cardinale (later Archbishop) (1961 – 1963.10.04) Head of Protocol: Msgr. Carlo Grano (later Cardinal) (1945 – 1953.02.17) Deputy Head of Protocol: Msgr. Renato Boccardo (73) (later Archbishop) (2001.02.10 – 2003.11.29) Consultant of Justice: Archbishop Dino Staffa (later Cardinal) (1958 – 1967.04.07) Consultant of Justice: Msgr. Francesco Roberti (later Cardinal) (1952 – 1958.12.15) Consultant: Bishop Jacques Martin (later Cardinal) (1964.01.05 – 1967) Secretary of Latin Letters: Msgr. Giuseppe Del Ton (1967.08.15 – 1972) Secretary of Briefs: Msgr. Amleto Tondini (1967.08.15 – 1969.11.10)

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