US and Vatican mark 40 years of formal diplomatic relations. Before 1984, presidents had personal representatives to Rome, but anti-Catholic sentiments kept formal ties at bay. The United States formally recognized the Holy See – the Vatican – on January 10, 1984, when President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II agreed to the establishment of diplomatic relations.

It’s hard to imagine, on this 40th anniversary of that act, that there was a time when Washington did not formally recognize the Vatican. But, as Professor Darren Dochuk of the University of Notre Dame notes, that state of affairs had a lot to do with an anti-Catholic sentiment prevalent in American politics going back to the 19th century. In spite of that, he told Aleteia, various presidents were able to do business with the Vatican through personal representatives.

Vatican’s new stamp celebrates 40 years of U.S. diplomatic ties

The coats of arms of the Holy See and the United States of America, ideally joined by ribbons evoking their respective flags. A special “die emissionis” postal cancellation, and the inscriptions “40th of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the United States of America,” “Vatican Post,” and “die emissionis September 16, 2024.”

This is how is depicted the commemorative Vatican stamp to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the United States of America, presented today at the Conference Hall of the Vatican Museums.

Prof. Darren Dochuk: Relations at the consular level were formal and substantive from the late 18th century to just after the Civil War. Early on, there was a formal relationship of the kind that would develop after 1984. And the curious part of the story, I think, happens between 1867 and 1984. And that's really where tensions arise. There will be continued relations between the US and the Vatican, but in a more slightly informal role where presidents appoint their own personal envoys to the Vatican, ultimately still serving kind of in the role of ambassador but without some of the political weight and burdens that come with a more formal relationship, in terms of a consulate and such.

So, what happens in 1984 really is a restoration of the type of official alliance with the Vatican that occurred earlier, but nevertheless represented a pretty important turning point in at least the 20th century relationship between the US and the Vatican.

Recalling St John Paul II’s seven visits to the United States. St. John Paul II was the most traveled pope in history, logging some 700,000 miles and visiting nearly 130 countries.

One of the first countries the pope visited after his election was the United States. As Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, he had visited the US in 1976, two years before his election, stopping at places such as Michigan, Ohio, and Montana, and was eager to return.

Over the course of his nearly 27-year pontificate, St. John Paul II would make seven visits to the US- five of significant length, and two brief stopovers during which he nevertheless left a lasting impression on the memories of the locals.

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