The Just Peace: The Public and Classical Diplomacy of the Holy

“I am not the evangeliser of democracy, I am the evangeliser of the Gospel. To the Gospel message, of course, belongs all the problems of human rights, and if democracy means human rights, then it also belongs to the message of the Church” John Paul II, to journalists aboard the airplane to Pinochet’s Chile in 1987 A Unique International Actor with a Unique Mission The Holy See is a unique actor in international affairs in more than one way. A legal entity on a par with states, accredited to most of the states in the world, with an equal number of embassies2 accredited to the Holy See in Rome, it is a state-like entity but not a state in the normal sense. This actor is unique because its history is unique: the seat of the Pope and the 1 This article is mainly based on insights and knowledge that I have acquired through many years ’ work with Vatican officials. In particular I want to thank the director of the Holy See Press Office, Dr. Joaquin Navarro