Holy See

noun

1. Roman Catholic Church.,  the see of Rome; the office or jurisdiction of the pope.

2. the papal court.

Holy See

noun

1. the see of the pope as bishop of Rome and head of the Church

2. the Roman curia

Holy See

1. In the Roman Catholic Church, the official name for the jurisdiction of the pope (the word see is from the Latin for “seat”).

Word History and Origins

Origin of Holy See¹

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

Canada's ambassador to the Holy See told CBC News that the items are currently in storage in Rome, and will be flown back to Canada on 6 December.

Read more on BBC

The election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American to head the Holy See, to succeed Pope Francis stirred in me the sense that things might change for the better as our country worsens.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"This event constitutes a further fruit of the dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese Authorities and is an important step in the journey of communion of the Diocese," the Vatican said.

Read more on BBC

But the Holy See says the idea of hosting, or even mediating, talks – which Trump suggested was an option - is more a hope for now than any concrete plan.

Read more on BBC

In a statement, the Holy See said both sides had expressed satisfaction with relations between the US and Vatican during face-to-face talks on Monday.

Read more on BBC