Saint-Siège

The Holy See, or Saint-Siège, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church, with its physical location in Vatican City. It is newsworthy due to recent events involving international relations and financial reforms. French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit the Vatican to meet with Pope Léon XIV (likely a typo in the article, referring to the current Pope Francis) for the first time. This visit is exclusively focused on the Vatican, without planned meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Additionally, Jean-Baptiste de Franssu, who led the financial reform of the Vatican Bank (IOR) since 2014 under Pope Francis, is stepping down from his position. During his tenure, he implemented significant reforms to improve transparency and eliminate its status as a tax haven, following decades of scandals. These events highlight the Holy See's ongoing diplomatic engagement and its efforts to modernize its financial institutions.