Lateran Treaties of 1929 between the Holy See and Mussolini's government

On 11 February 1929 Cardinal Pietro Gasparri for the Holy See and head of government Benito Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaties. Italy paid the Holy See 750 million lire in cash and handed over government bonds worth one billion lire as final compensation for the loss of the Papal States in 1870. The Catholic religion became the sole state religion, and the Holy See received basilicas and buildings in Rome that are exempt from taxes and expropriation, as well as tax-free salaries for its employees.

Period

11 Feb 1929 (1 day)

Country

Italy, Vatican City

Institutions

Holy See
Kingdom of Italy under head of government Benito Mussolini

Category

Agreements with dictatorships

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Persons

Pietro Gasparri (Cardinal Secretary of State, author and signatory for the Holy See)
Benito Mussolini (Italian head of government, signatory)

Background

Course of events

1. The treaty was drawn up by Cardinal Pietro Gasparri and the Italian head of government Benito Mussolini; it had to be ratified by the pope and the King of Italy.
   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Vorbemerkung zum Vertragstext

   „Il documento, redatto dal Cardinale Pietro Gasparri e dal Primo ministro italiano Benito Mussolini, doveva essere sottoposto alla ratifica del Sommo Pontefice e del Re d’Italia.“

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. In the Financial Convention Italy undertook to pay the Holy See 750 million lire and at the same time to hand over five percent government bonds with a nominal value of one billion lire.
   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Anlage IV, Finanzkonvention, Art. 1

   „L’Italia si obbliga a versare, allo scambio delle ratifiche del Trattato, alla Santa Sede la somma di lire italiane 750.000.000 (settecento cinquanta milioni)“

   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Anlage IV, Finanzkonvention, Art. 1

   „del valore nominale di lire italiane 1.000.000.000 (un miliardo)“

2. The Holy See accepted this payment as the final settlement of its financial claims against Italy arising from the events of 1870, the end of the Papal States.
   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Anlage IV, Finanzkonvention, Art. 2

   „La Santa Sede dichiara di accettare quanto sopra a definitiva sistemazione dei suoi rapporti finanziari con l’Italia in dipendenza degli avvenimenti del 1870.“

3. Basilicas and buildings of papal institutes in Rome may not be expropriated without the consent of the Holy See and are exempt from all taxes. The salaries paid by the Holy See and central church bodies to dignitaries and employees are tax-free in Italy from 1 January 1929.
   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Vertrag, Art. 16

   „non saranno mai assoggettati a vincoli o ad espropriazioni per causa di pubblica utilità, se non previo accordo con la Santa Sede, e saranno esenti da tributi sia ordinari che straordinari“

   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Vertrag, Art. 17

   „saranno nel territorio italiano esenti, a decorrere dal 1° gennaio 1929, da qualsiasi tributo“

Response of the Church

1. Italy recognised the Catholic religion as the sole religion of the State.
   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Vertrag, Art. 1

   „la religione cattolica, apostolica e romana è la sola religione dello Stato“

2. Judgments and measures of church authorities concerning clergy and members of religious orders in spiritual or disciplinary matters received full legal effect in Italy, including for all civil consequences.
   Evidence: Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va), Vertrag, Art. 23

   „Avranno invece senz’altro piena efficacia giuridica, anche a tutti gli effetti civili, in Italia le sentenze ed i provvedimenti emanati da autorità ecclesiastiche“

Original documents to read

1. Church document
   Heiliger Stuhl, Staatssekretariat (vatican.va): Patti Lateranensi, 11 febbraio 1929 (Vertrag, Konkordat, Anlagen und Finanzkonvention), 11 February 1929. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 12 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 22 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.