Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia as the new Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, giving the Church in this country a new diplomatic representative at an important moment in its life.
The appointment was announced March 7. Archbishop Caccia, 68, succeeds Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who has served in the role since 2016.
For many Catholics, the title “apostolic nuncio” may sound unfamiliar, but the role is significant. The nuncio serves as the Holy Father’s personal representative to both the Church and the government of the United States. In that position, he helps strengthen ties between Rome and the bishops of this country and plays an important part in the life of the Church.
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed the appointment with gratitude and confidence.
“It is with joy that I welcome the news that our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has appointed as his personal representative and nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Caccia,” Archbishop Coakley said. He added that the bishops of the United States offer their prayers and support and look forward to working with him.
At the same time, Archbishop Coakley expressed appreciation for Cardinal Pierre’s nearly decade-long service, thanking him for his “tireless service to the Church in the United States” and offering prayerful best wishes in his retirement.
Born in Milan, Italy, on February 24, 1958, Archbishop Caccia was ordained a priest in 1983 and entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 1991. Since 2019, he has served as Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, a role that placed him at the center of major international conversations on peace, human dignity, and global cooperation.
His appointment brings to the United States a seasoned Vatican diplomat with decades of experience in representing the Holy See on the world stage.
His curriculum vitae may be found here.
Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons