Relationship dossier
Vatican City
Lithuania
Relationship assessment
Close ties shaped by support for Lithuanian state continuity and bilateral agreements
Vatican City toward Lithuania
+75The Holy See maintained its recognition of Lithuanian state continuity during Soviet rule and supported Lithuania’s independence. Pope John Paul II visited Lithuania in 1993, and the Holy See entered into agreements with Lithuania covering areas including education and pastoral care.
Lithuania toward Vatican City
+75Lithuania restored diplomatic relations with the Holy See after regaining independence and entered into bilateral agreements covering areas including education and pastoral care. The relationship has included high-level engagement, including Pope John Paul II’s 1993 visit to Lithuania.
Overall relationship
+75The relationship is characterized by sustained diplomatic engagement, the Holy See’s support for Lithuanian state continuity during Soviet rule, and bilateral agreements addressing practical cooperation. The 1993 papal visit further reflected the closeness of ties.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
The Holy See and Lithuania have maintained close relations since diplomatic ties were restored after Lithuania regained independence. The Holy See supported Lithuania’s claim to state continuity during Soviet rule, and Pope John Paul II’s 1993 visit underscored the relationship. Bilateral agreements have also provided for cooperation in areas including education and pastoral care.
Key developments
Diplomatic relations between Lithuania and the Holy See were restored after Lithuania regained independence.
Pope John Paul II visited Lithuania.
The Holy See and Lithuania concluded agreements addressing legal relations, pastoral care, and cooperation in education and culture.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of the bilateral agreements are unclear.