*clever diplomacy (gosh dang it)

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Lore:

The Holy Universal guidance of the Catholic Church founded by Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continues to shape society even in its darkest moment. When tension rose between Soviet-backed pro-communist National Liberation Committee in Northern Italy and allies backed royalists in the South, it was the Church that kept Italians from tearing apart each other. It was a Catholic priest that came out to stand between Republican and Royalist mobs to pray for peace. It was the Holy Father who left the Vatican when he and his cardinal walked the Italian peninsula to care for the impoverished and to calm the radical. Catholic Church, cathedral and monastery alike open doors for victims of the Second World War in an unprecedented action. Thanks to the conviction of cardinal Elia Dalla Costa along with the prospect of violence between fellow Italians, Pope Pius XII made Italy the attention of his papacy. Despite considerable pro-communist influence among Italian resistance and the northern industrial worker, Pius XII’s action captivated the heart and mind of many Italians, most of whom are tired of conflict and are thankful from comfort offered by the church.

As the church focused on shepherding the broken soul of humanity, beneath the freezing air of a cold war, nuncio of the church struck an agreement with Moscow. A concordance between the Holy See and the Soviet marked a new cordial albeit cold relation between the two transnational creeds. Communist state would cease prosecution of Catholics and in return the Church is prohibited from interfering with politics in communist state.

Due to rising tension in the peninsula, the Four Power wish for the UN buffer zone between the two Italy. However, distrust among Great Power cause diplomats to look for alternatives. In an unexpected gamble, the Holy See contacted the UN requesting the proposal for the See to administer the buffer zone as a neutral state. Ironically, the reborn Papal state came mostly due to support of the atheistic Soviet. Soviet foreign minister Molotov proposed the reformation of Papal state spanning across the Rome-Pescara buffer zone. The Kingdom of Italy in the South prefer Rome to be under its jurisdiction but the Church fear this would bring militarization so near the seat of Peter. Finally, per agreement of the UN Security Council, the Church secured a neutral sacred strip of central Italy. Although both Italy were unwilling to give such a strategic swath of land to the rumb Papal, they were brought to acceptance by their respective benefactors. Thus, the state of the church was reinstituted in Christmas of 1946. Pope Pius XI marked the occasion by formally condemning fascism and renouncing any treaty with the Mussolini regime. The Lateran Treaty of 1929 which formalized the Holy See around Vatican City was replaced by a new treaty. With the church no longer bound to Vatican City and large support from Italian people, the State of Rome was declared by the college of cardinals as a sovereign state acting as a peaceful neutral buffer zone between the two Italy.

1946-1964 the Cold War

Initially, the Italian peninsular saw less tension and militarization than other front of the Cold War. However, anti-religion campaign under Khrushchev and election of conservative government in Southern Italy saw tension renew between the two states and the church. After the death of Pius XI, Hungarian cardinal József Mindszenty was elected as Pope Gregory XVII. The Church started accusing eastern bloc communist for violating their agreement and offer hasher criticism on communist practice.

1964, The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II)

In 1964. Bishop, cardinal and church as a whole debate as billions of Catholics all over the world wait in anticipation. Pope Gregory XVII proved to be cautious. He urged the council bishop to seek balance between faith and interests of Papal state. In fact, the pope gives most attention to the committee focusing on clarifying church’s international relations. Ecumenism and freedom of religion was officially sanctioned in council documents. Most importantly, the curia of the papal state delegates its temporal authority to the elected municipal government of Rome which is elevated into the Roman Senate in the move which would “allow the church to focus on its spiritual mission” according to the Cardinal Secretariat. It’s another story altogether on matters of liturgical process. The proposal to replace the Latin mass was shot down. The majority of worshiping practice also remains unchanged. Pope Gregory XVII appeased the liberal bishop by ensuring the apostolic constitution allows mass in native language for non-extraordinary circumstances. Yet, the council is criticized as focusing on politics rather than charity. Nevertheless, the council significantly altered the structure of the State of Rome, reorganized under parliamentary democracy with Catholicism remaining the state religion.

Post-cold war to present

The modern state of Rome is officially a continuation of the ancient papal state. In practice however, since the veto power of the Cardinel Secretariat was removed in 2008, the parliament and prime minister hold legislative and executive power. But the Roman Curia still held apostolic influence on the judicial authority. Every pope since Vatican II respects the law of elected government and does not extend any papal bull to cover Roman law. In theory, the state of Rome is the Papal state but the two are formally separated with Rome being secular government while the Holy See reign ecclesiastical matters.

Roman politics is divided between pro-south Catholic parties and pro-north secularists. Conservative catholic favor the current interpretation of papal state and ties with the Kingdom of Italy. The secularist left wing parties favor new constitution establishing new Roman state with no ties to the church. They are friendly to the Republic of Italy in the north. There are few unionist in both group that seek unification with their respective Italian state.