Editing Theocracy (section)

=== Christian theocracies ===
{{Further|Christian state|theonomy}}

==== Holy See ====
{{Main|Politics of Vatican City}}
Following the [[Capture of Rome]] on 20 September 1870, the [[Papal States]] including Rome with the [[Holy See|Vatican]] were annexed by the [[Kingdom of Italy]]. In 1929, through the [[Lateran Treaty]] signed with the Italian Government, the new state of [[Vatican City]] was formally created and recognised as an independent state from [[Fascist Italy]].<ref name="wfbvat">{{cite web |title=CIA World Factbook – Holy See |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/holy-see-vatican-city/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126204237/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/holy-see-vatican-city/ |archive-date=2022-01-26 |access-date=2009-08-10 |publisher=[[CIA]]}}</ref> The head of state of the Vatican is the [[pope]], elected by the [[College of Cardinals]], an assembly of high-ranking clergy.<ref name="wfbvat"/> The pope is elected for life, and either dies in office, or in extremely rare situations may resign. The cardinals are appointed by the popes, who thereby choose the electors of their successors.

Voting is limited to cardinals under 80 years of age.<ref name="wfbvat"/> A Secretary for Relations with States, directly responsible for international relations, is appointed by the pope. The Vatican legal system is rooted in [[Canon law (Catholic Church)|canon law]]. The Bishop of Rome, as the [[Supreme Pontiff]], "has the fullness of legislative, executive and judicial powers."<ref>''[[Fundamental Law of Vatican City State]]'', Art. 1 §1</ref> Although the laws of Vatican City come from the secular laws of Italy, under article 3 of the Law of the Sources of the Law, a provision is made for the application of the "laws promulgated by the Kingdom of Italy".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Vatican.html |first1=Stephen |last1=Young |first2=Alison |last2=Shea |title=Researching the Law of the Vatican City State |work=[[GlobaLex]] |date=November 2007 |access-date=24 April 2018 |archive-date=13 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413231950/http://www.nyulawglobal.org/globalex/Vatican.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Mount Athos ====
{{Main|Monastic community of Mount Athos}}
Mount Athos is a mountain peninsula in [[Greece]] which is an [[Eastern Orthodox]] [[autonomous area]] consisting of 20 [[monasteries]] under the direct jurisdiction of the [[Primate of Constantinople]]. There have been almost 1,800 years of a continuous Christian presence on Mount Athos, and it has a long history of [[monasteries]], which dates back to at least 800 AD. The origin of [[self-rule]] at Mount Athos can be traced back to a royal [[edict]] issued by the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] Emperor [[John Tzimisces]] in 972, and reaffirmed by Emperor [[Alexios I Komnenos]] in 1095. Greece wrestled control of the area from the [[Ottoman Empire]] during the [[First Balkan War]] in 1912. However, it was formally recognized as part of Greece only after a diplomatic dispute with the [[Russian Empire]] was no longer an obstacle, after the latter's collapse during [[World War I]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian-federation/1928-01-01/holy-mountain |title=The "Holy Mountain" |first=William |last=Miller |magazine=[[Foreign Affairs]] |access-date=27 May 2019 |quote=An annex to the treaty of Sèvres of 1920 constituted the twenty monasteries of Mount Athos into a theocratic republic under the suzerainty of Greece [..] |archive-date=2018-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129120843/https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/russian-federation/1928-01-01/holy-mountain |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mount Athos is specifically exempt from the [[European Single Market|free movement of people and goods]] required by Greece's membership of the [[European Union]],<ref>Joint Declaration No. 5 attached to the Final Act of the [http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:42000A0922(06):EN: ''non''-accession treaty].</ref> and entrance is allowed only with express permission from the monks. The number of daily visitors to Mount Athos is restricted, with all visitors required to obtain an entrance permit. Only men are permitted to visit, and Eastern Orthodox Christians take precedence in the issuing of permits. Residents of Mount Athos must be men aged 18 and over who are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church and also either monks or workers.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/09/what-is-behind-vladimir-putins-curious-interest-in-mount-athos/ |title=What is behind Vladimir Putin's curious interest in Mount Athos? |first=Jeremy |last=Norman |magazine=[[The Spectator]] |date=10 September 2016 |access-date=27 May 2019 |quote=Mount Athos is one of the world's few remaining theocratic states, alongside Iran and the Vatican. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001175036/https://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/09/what-is-behind-vladimir-putins-curious-interest-in-mount-athos/ |archive-date=1 October 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Athos is governed jointly by [[Monastic community of Mount Athos|a community consisting of members of the 20 monasteries]] and a [[Civil Administrator of Mount Athos|Civil Administrator]], appointed by the [[Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs]]. The monastic community is led by the ''[[Protos (monastic office)|Protos]]''.