Folia Theologica et Canonica 6. 28/20 (2017)

IUS CANONICUM - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem., An overview on the international relations of the Holy See since the ‘Roman question' until 1967, correlated with the first codification (1917)

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SZABOLCS ANZELM SZUROMI, O.PRAEM.

too.4 Pope Saint Pius X (1903-1914) — as we know well — died before the end of the codification, which had been begun under his direction5; therefore Pope Benedict XV was the one who promulgated the first Code of Canon Law on May 27'h 1917, which had come into force on Pentecost Day: May 19lh 1918.6

The CIC (1917) is distributed into five books, and within Book II (De perso- nis), Section II (De clericis in specie), Title VII (De suprema potestate deque iis qui eiusdem sunt ecclesiastico iure participes) can be found those canons which regulate the authority of the Roman Pontiff, the Roman Curia, including the rights regarding the international relations.7

Here, I would like to focus on the specified duties of the section of the Sacred Congregation for Extraordinary Ecclesiastical Affairs in the form fixed by the Codex Iuris Canonici of 1917 (Can. 263)8 until the time of the Apostolic Constitution Regimini Ecclesiae Universae of August 15lh 1967 by Pope Blessed Paul VI (1963-1978) who reformed the Roman Curia and gave a new face to the Secretariat of State.9 We can understand properly the relevance and role of the Secretariat of State and its international activities through some significant negotiations, accords or even concordats. Nevertheless, we must see that particular international background and the changes in the juridical status of Rome to explain a clear picture about the international activity of the Holy See.

4 Epp, R. - Lefebvre, C. - Metz, R., Le droit et les institutions de l’Église catholique latine de la fin du XVIIIe siècle à 1978. Sources et institutions (Histoire du Droit et des Institutions de l’Église en Occident XVI), Paris 1981.217-241.

5 Minelli, Ch., Pio X e la sistematica del Codex Iuris Canonici, in Brugnotto, G. - Romanato, G. (a cura di), Rirorma del Cattolicesimo '! Le attività e le scelte di Pio X (Pontificio Comitato di Scienze Storiche), Città del Vaticano 2016. 293-323, especially 302-306.

6 Erdő, P., Geschichte der Wissenschaft vom kanonischen Recht. Eine Einführung, Hrsg, von L. Müller (Kirchenrechtliche Bibliothek 4), Berlin 2006. 149. Erdő, P., Storia delle Fonti de! Diritto Canonico (Istituto di Diritto Canonico San Pio X, Manuali 2), Venezia 2008. 151-152. Alvarez de las Asturias, N., Il Codice di diritto canonico del 1917 quale oggetto storico, in lus Ecclesiae 23 (2011 ) 745-764. Sedano, J., Dal Corpus Iuris Canonici al primo Codex Iuris Canonici: Continuità e discontinuità nella tradizione giuridica della Chiesa latina, in Folia Theo- logica et Canonica IV (26/18) [2015] 215-238.

7 CIC (1917) Cann. 218-270.

s CIC (1917) Can. 263 - Officium Secretariae Status, cuius moderator est Cardinalis Secretarius Status, constat triplici parte hoc ordine: 1° Prima pars, cui praesidet Secretarius Congregationis pro negotiis ecclesiasticis extraordinariis, versatur in negotiis quae eidem Congregationi exami- nanda subiici debent ad normám can. 255, ceteris pro diversa eorum natura ad peculiares Cong- regationes remissis; 2° Altera pars, cui praeest Substitutus, incumbit in ordinaria negotia; 3° Ter- tiam partem dirigit Cancellarius Brevium Apostolicorum, qui vacat expeditioni Brevium.

9 Paulus VI. Const. Ap. Regimini Ecclesiae Universae (15 aug. 1967): AAS 59 (1967) 885-928; in detailed, cf. Del Re, N., La Curia Romana. Lineanti storico-giuridici (Sussidi eruditi 23), Roma 19707 6-60.