Pope Leo XIV on Saturday named a veteran Vatican diplomat as his new ambassador to the United States to manage one of the Holy See's most important bilateral relationships, which has come under strain over the Trump administration's war in Iran and immigration crackdown. Italian Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, 68, is currently the Holy See's ambassador to the United Nations in New York. ADVERTISEMENTCaccia served as the Holy See's ambassador to Lebanon and the Philippines before being posted to the UN in 2019. Ordained a priest in Milan in 1983, Caccia later served as "assessor" in the Vatican secretariat of state, a key administrative post in the Holy See's most important office. The relationship with the US and its church is crucial for the Holy See, not least because US Catholics are the most generous donors to the Holy See's coffers.

Source: The Telegraph March 07, 2026 12:56 UTC