1. formal agreements between the Vatican and a government regarding the regulation of Catholic Church affairs within that country
Usage: ecclesiastical; political

Examples

• The concordat between the Vatican and Germany was signed in 1933.
• Several European nations have negotiated concordats with the Holy See.
• The concordat established rules for Catholic education in public schools.
• Historical concordats often addressed issues of church property and taxation.
• The government sought to revise the existing concordat to reflect modern values.
• Concordats typically require ratification by both religious and secular authorities.