Pope Leo XIV has named Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia as the new apostolic nuncio to the United States, succeeding Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who turned 80, the retirement age fpr cardinals, at the end of January.
Archbishop Caccia has till now served as the Holy Seeʼs permanent observer at the United Nations in New York, since 2019. The Italian diplomat previously served as nuncio, the pope’s diplomatic representative, to Lebanon and the Philippines.
The Holy See Press Office announced the appointment on March 7.
The French-born Pierre served as apostolic nuncio to the U.S. for nearly 10 years — spanning three U.S. presidential terms and two pontificates.
The role includes assisting with the selection of bishops and representing the Vatican at political and Church events.
In an interview with “EWTN News In-Depth” anchor Catherine Hadro ahead of his 80th birthday on Jan. 30, Cardinal Pierre described his decade as the papal representative to the U.S. as “very beautiful” and “difficult” years.
Pope Francis appointed Pierre apostolic nuncio in April 2016, following a nine-year term as nuncio in Mexico. He was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023.
Pierre’s retirement marks the end of an ecclesiastical diplomatic career that began in 1977 with his first role in New Zealand, and included stints in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Cuba,Brazil, and the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
In 1995, St. Pope John Paul II named him apostolic nuncio in Haiti, and four years later, in Uganda.
