[a. L. exequātur he may perform, 3rd pers. sing. pres. subj. of exequī (see EXECUTE).]
1. An official recognition of a consul or commercial agent by the government of the country to which he is accredited, authorizing him to exercise his power.
1788. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 498. There shall be delivered to them … the Exequatur necessary for the exercise of their functions.
1826. Kent, Comm., 43. If any consul be guilty of illegal or improper conduct, he is liable to have his exequatur … revoked.
1879. Daily News, 26 May, 6/2. The Spanish Foreign Office objects to granting the exequatur for the Chinese consuls to watch over the interests of the Coolies.
2. An authorization granted by a temporal sovereign for the exercise of episcopal functions under Papal authority, or for the publication of Papal bulls. Hence, the right of insisting on the necessity of such authorization.
1859. Prescott, Philip II., III. 365. The councils in those states … refused to allow the publication of his bulls without the royal exequatur.
1885. Catholic Dict., s.v., The Roman Pontif … allows Italian bishops … to apply for the exequatur to the sovereign … as the de facto occupant of power.
