Pope Leo XIV has appointed the former apostolic nuncio to the Philippines as the Holy See's envoy to the United States. Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, currently the permanent observer to the United Nations, will replace Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who is retiring.
MANILA, Philippines — Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia as apostolic nuncio to the United States, according to a statement from the Holy See Press Office on Saturday, March 7. Caccia, titular of Sepino and currently the Holy See's permanent observer at the United Nations in New York, will replace Cardinal Christophe Pierre, 80, who has served as the Vatican's ambassador to the U.S. since 2016.
Pope Francis appointed Caccia as apostolic nuncio to the Philippines in September 2017, during the administration of former president Rodrigo Duterte, at the height of the government's war on drugs when relations between the Catholic Church and Duterte were tense. In 2019, Pope Francis named Caccia the permanent observer to the United Nations, and Archbishop Charles Brown replaced him in the Philippine post.
Despite the tensions, Duterte awarded Caccia the Order of Sikatuna, Rank of Datu, upon his departure.
“The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, titular of Sepino, until now Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations in New York, as apostolic nuncio in the United States of America,” the Holy See's statement read.
