Pope Leo XIV appoints Veteran Archbishop as new Papal ambassador to the United States

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia as the Vatican’s new ambassador to the United States, the Holy See announced on Saturday.

Archbishop Caccia, 68, who has been serving as the Holy See’s Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York since 2019, will take up the role of apostolic nuncio in Washington. The appointment was made public by the Vatican on 7 March 2026.

He succeeds Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who is retiring after reaching the customary retirement age of 80. Cardinal Pierre has served as the apostolic nuncio to the United States since 2016.

Archbishop Caccia is a career Vatican diplomat with decades of experience in the Holy See’s diplomatic service. Before his posting to the UN, he served as apostolic nuncio to Lebanon and the Philippines and held senior positions within the Vatican Secretariat of State.

In accepting the appointment, Archbishop Caccia described the mission as one “at the service of communion and peace.” He said he was “honoured and deeply humbled” by the decision of the Holy Father and expressed confidence in working with the Catholic Church and institutions in the United States.

The United States is home to one of the largest Catholic communities in the world, and the role of apostolic nuncio is considered one of the Holy See’s most important diplomatic posts, representing the pope both to the U.S. government and the Catholic hierarchy in the country.

Archbishop Caccia was born in Milan on 24 February 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1983. He holds a doctorate in theology and a licentiate in canon law. His extensive diplomatic career began in 1991, and he has served in various capacities across the Vatican’s global missions.

The Vatican and the United States have maintained formal diplomatic relations since 1984, and the apostolic nuncio plays a key role in both diplomatic engagement with Washington and liaison with the Catholic Church in the country.

Archbishop Caccia’s appointment comes at a time of ongoing global diplomatic challenges, and he will be responsible for guiding Vatican‑U.S. relations amid evolving international and church concerns.