Stato della Città del Vaticano, the Vatican City State, is the sovereign state comprising Vatican City and other properties in Rome and rulled by the Supreme Pontiff with absolute authority. It was recognized by the 1929 Lateran Treaty with the Italian State, and settled questions of sovereignty which arose in 1870 at the time of the unification of Italy and  the end of the Papal States.  It also provided for the independance of the Holy See in international law, and thereby for the freedom of the Church in her evangelical mission.