Pope Leo XIV Appoints Caccia as US Nuncio

Pope Leo XIV appointed Italian Archbishop Gabriele Caccia as the new apostolic nuncio to the United States on March 7, replacing Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who resigned upon reaching the age of 80 in January. The Vatican announced the move from Rome, marking a significant shift in the Holy See's diplomatic representation to Washington at a time of ongoing global and bilateral challenges.

Archbishop Caccia, 68, brings extensive experience in Vatican diplomacy to the role. Born in Milan in 1958, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Milan in 1983 and served initially at a local parish. He later studied at Rome's Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, earning a doctorate in theology and a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. Joining the Holy See's diplomatic service in 1991, Caccia's early assignments included a posting at the apostolic nunciature in Tanzania. From 1993 to 2009, he held various positions in the Secretariat of State, including as assessor for general affairs.

In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI named him apostolic nuncio to Lebanon and titular archbishop of Sepino, a position he held until 2017, when Pope Francis appointed him nuncio to...