Pope Leo XIV has named Italian Archbishop Gabriele Caccia as the Holy See’s new ambassador to the United States. The post is one of the Vatican’s most important diplomatic roles, media reports said.
Archbishop Caccia, 68, currently serves as the Vatican’s ambassador to the United Nations in New York. He will replace French-born Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who is retiring at age 80 as apostolic nuncio in Washington, according to CBS News.
Caccia previously served as the Vatican’s ambassador to Lebanon and the Philippines before his UN assignment in 2019. He was ordained in Milan in 1983 and has also held a senior role in the Vatican Secretariat of State.
The new envoy will manage a complex portfolio, overseeing both church and state relations in the United States. Relations with Washington are crucial for the Holy See, partly because American Catholics are among the largest financial supporters of the Vatican.
The appointment comes amid tensions between the Vatican and the US over issues including military action in Iran and immigration policies. Pope Leo, the first US-born pontiff, has emphasised unity within the Church and called for diplomatic solutions in international conflicts.
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed Caccia’s appointment. He offered the American Catholic hierarchy’s “warmest welcome and our prayerful support,” CBS News reported.
