Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations
The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations is the representative of the Holy See at the United Nations. This diplomatic mission does not have the status of Permanent Representative because the Holy See is not a member of the U.N. The Holy See has had this observer state status since 1964, a status accorded only one other entity, the State of Palestine.
The first diplomats the Holy See sent as its Permanent Observer were priests rather than bishops and they had not yet risen to the rank of apostolic nuncio, the senior rank of the Vatican diplomatic corps. The second Permanent Observer, Giovanni Cheli, was given the personal rank of nuncio and ordained a bishop in 1978 after five years representing the Holy See at the U.N. Since then all those appointed to the position have been titular archbishops with the rank of nuncio.Permanent Observers
