Holy See–Spain relations are foreign relations between the Holy See and Spain. Both countries established diplomatic relations in 1480. This is the oldest permanent diplomatic mission in history. The Holy See has a nunciature in Madrid. Spain has an embassy in Rome.
The mission resulted in important projects of cooperation between the two states. These included Vatican support for the Granada War, the partition of the New World between Spain and Portugal via the “Bula Inter Caetera” in 1493 (see Treaty of Tordesillas), and the creation of the Holy League, which led to a key victory for Christendom at the Battle of Lepanto.
For most of the reign of Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503), the Church had its own diplomatic representation in Spain. The Holy See's embassy was renewed in 1506 by Pope Julius II.[1]
After 1978
After the new Spanish Constitution was adopted in 1978, the constitution set forth the principle of Separation of Church and State, although the state continued to fund public schools run by the Catholic Church.