PONTIFICAL SECRETARIAT Credentials Sovereign entities follow international norms for isuue of identification cards and other documents to citizens, government officials, diplomats, and visitors. Accordingly, the Pontifical Secretariat issues various identity documents, including clerical identity cards, ecclesiastical passports (laissez-passer and Apostolic commission) and diplomatic credentials for select members of the Patriarchal Curia, Pontifical Court, and diplomatic corps, identity cards for members of the Pontifical Walsingham Guard, and other documents on an as needed basis. The Secretariat is the competent authority to issue identification of the government of the Stato Pontificio Imperiale, the Apostolic See of Saints Stephen and Mark, and the United Roman-Ruthenian Church as an ecclesiastical sovereign entity. (See also APS 7.5.) Information on the Use of Credentials   Exemplars of Curial Ecclesiastical Diplomatic Identity Documents Ecclesiastical diplomatic Laissez-Passer card with Insignia of the Apostolic See of Sts. Stephen and Mark. Above: Cover and exemplar pages from the passport of the Roman-Ruthenian Church and State. It is more formally known as an Apostolic Commission and is designed to accompany the laissez passer or be carried separately. It gives details on legal status according to canon and international law. Above: Car sticker and car front license plate for members of the Diplomatic Corps Second row: EU-sized front license plate for members of the Diplomatic Corps (Note: The proper use of these emblems varies by host country.) Car decal of the P.I. Household Examples of car front plates of members of the immediate P.I. Household. The plate consists of the greater eagle coat of arms with the individual cypher/monogram of the household member on either side in red.  Shown above: Left, plate of H.A.H. the Prince-Bishop (and also jointly with the Apostolic Princess. The plate of the Apostolic Princess individually is identical to that of the household, without the St. Stephen crosses.) Right, Plate of the members of the P.I. Household [Secretariat] [Curia] [Main Page]      DISCLAIMER, LEGAL, AND COPYRIGHT NOTICES