Archbishop Christophe Pierre transferred to DC from post in MexicoFrench Archbishop Christophe Pierre, who has served as apostolic nuncio to Mexico since 2007, will be the pope’s new representative in the United States, the Vatican announced Tuesday.
Archbishop Pierre succeeds Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who has served in the position since 2011 and reached the retirement age of 75 in January.
Born in France in 1946, Archbishop Pierre was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Rennes in 1970. He also served as apostolic nuncio to Haiti from 1995 to 1999 and Uganda from 1999 to 2007.
Reporting on the appointment, which has been rumored for some time, America magazine called Archbishop Pierre “one of the Holy See’s most distinguished and respected diplomats.”
“He comes to Washington DC as an experienced diplomat, with firsthand knowledge of the dramatic plight of migrants from Central America and Mexico to the United States, and will be able to give voice to Pope Francis’ concern for them,” the magazine noted.
