ABSTRACT
The Holy See is a pervasive participant in international relations. Sovereignty, supranationalism, and soft power, this is the unique constellation of resources and status that the Holy See brings to its participation in global politics. The Holy See’s diplomatic role, however, goes well beyond the formal matter of legal recognition. The close relationship between these national actors and the Holy See dramatically multiplies the presence of the latter on the world stage, and offers the papacy the opportunity to affect world politics by influencing the non-Church actors who are the central players on the global stage. The Holy See has served from time to time as a forum of international mediation in cases where parties to a dispute have either sought or accepted the “good offices” of the Pope as a forum, as it were, for conflict resolution.
