Relationship dossier
Vatican City
Portugal
Relationship assessment
A longstanding relationship with a bilateral Concordat governing the Catholic Church’s position in Portugal.
Vatican City toward Portugal
+40The Holy See negotiated and signed the 2004 Concordat with Portugal, establishing a bilateral framework for the Catholic Church’s legal position and activities in the country.
Portugal toward Vatican City
+40Portugal negotiated and signed the 2004 Concordat with the Holy See, setting out the Catholic Church’s legal framework in Portugal and arrangements covering matters including religious education and marriage.
Overall relationship
+40The 2004 Concordat provides a durable framework for cooperation between Portugal and the Holy See on the Catholic Church’s status and activities in Portugal. The relationship is supported by longstanding religious ties, while the extent of cooperation beyond this framework is less clear.
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
Portugal and the Holy See maintain a longstanding relationship shaped by Catholicism and formal bilateral cooperation. Their 2004 Concordat sets out the legal framework for the Catholic Church in Portugal, including matters such as religious education, marriage and chaplaincy. The agreement is a concrete basis for cooperation, though the scope of other government-to-government cooperation is less clear.
Key developments
Portugal and the Holy See signed a Concordat setting out the legal framework for the Catholic Church in Portugal.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of bilateral cooperation beyond the 2004 Concordat is unclear.
- The current implementation and practical effects of the Concordat are not detailed.