09:51 Jan 12, 2010 

I have already said I agree with Michael. I don't want to use the hide option on my answer for respect to Susanna Garcia that agreed with me. I too agree with the term seat.

09:45 Jan 12, 2010 

Santa Sede = Holy See; Sede Pontifica = Pontifical Seat. Point is a translation of what was used in the text. I respect your opinions and learned they are but, I think pontifical seat is the correct translation of the term used. Had they intended to say Santa Sede I am sure they would have...

09:34 Jan 12, 2010 

I like your reasoning. It makes total sense. :-)

09:28 Jan 12, 2010 

If we start trying to sustain this terms by historic precedent and not only by usage, we should remember that most of the times a (sic! not "the" but "a") pope sat in Viterbo, there was another one sitting in Rome and, severall periods, yet another one sitting in Avignon... each claiming to be the only true one. So, were there three holy sees then, or were there simply three pontifical/papal seats and one holy see? I'l be careful with the holy see, for this context obviously refers to the geographical connotation – a papal city, a city containing at least one papal palace and where popes "presided"/sat on their holy bums at least some of the time. Those are (again, basically, !) three: Roome, Avignon and Viterbo. They are, I repeat, the papal cities but the holy see is an abstract – not necessarily geographical NOTION. Cheers!

09:15 Jan 12, 2010 

"The Holy See" is normally used in international relations (as well as in the canon law of the Catholic Church) to refer to the central government of the Catholic Church, headed by the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. When the Bishop of Rome elected Viterbo as his official seat the Holy See was in Viterbo. Note that the pope, at that time although in Viterbo was aslo bishop of Rome. The Holy See is used to indicate the rule of the Bishop of Rome, but the "sancta sedes" indicates the location of the central government.

08:15 Jan 12, 2010 

Holy See refers to the government of the Catholic Church whereas pontifical seat refers to the throne of the reigning Pope. However, we can say that Viterbo was the seat of power of the Pope and thus I still maintain that pontifical seat is more correct here. "The Holy See" is always used to refer to the rule of the bishop of Rome (the Pope) and, it follows logically, from Rome.

10:17 Jan 11, 2010 

Once Viterbo was "sede pontificia", it was "sacta sedes". I think that if it refers to the official status of the city, the official title is more appropriate. The English version of the official rank, is Holy See.

23:29 Jan 10, 2010 

We even have the papal palace (palazzo papale) where the popes come at least a couple of time during their pontificate... including the last two. So, both Oliver and dasein are right... I thinks the latter is a bit raightER because pontifical refers somehow more to the institution rather than the pope... but I'm splitting hairs: papal is okay too, if you wanna be a bit less formal.

20:13 Jan 8, 2010 

Between 1261 and 1281, five of the eight popes who reigned were elected in Viterbo: Pope Urban IV, elected in 1261; Pope Gregory X in 1271; Pope John XXI in 1276; Pope Nicolas III in 1277; and Pope Martin IV in 1281.

19:52 Jan 8, 2010 

sorry about the typo.

19:50 Jan 8, 2010 

Where the Pople lived before leaving for Avignon?