The appointment was keenly anticipated, given that Leo XIV is the first U.S.-born pope. The new nuncio will be expected to help shape relations between the Holy See and the U.S. government, as well as to advise on the appointment of bishops in the country. Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, 68, has served since 2019 as the Vatican’s permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, a role that has given him a degree of familiarity with the U.S. Church. In that post, Caccia took part in debates at the UN, presenting the Vatican’s perspective on topics as varied as the rights of Indigenous people and space warfare.
