Nuncio, Apostolic

(nŭn´shēō), resident legate of the Holy See at the capital of a temporal government. Nuncios are in most of the principal countries of Europe and Latin America, but there are none in the United States, Great Britain, or the republics of the former Soviet Union. In some countries the nuncio is by courtesy made the “dean” of the diplomatic corps. Ministers of the second class are called apostolic internuncios.