Pope appoints Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines

(Vatican Radio)  Pope Francis on Tuesday appointed an Apostolic Nuncio, or Vatican ambassador, to the Philippines.  Italian Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, until now the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon is now Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines.  The 59-year old diplomat takes over from Archbishop Pinto whom Pope transferred to Croatia on  July 1, 2017. 

Arch. Caccia, who has been Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon since 2009, was born in Milan on February 24, 1958, and ordained a priest on June 11, 1983.  He served as Assessor for General Affairs of the Vatican Secretariat of State. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon on July 16, 2009, and was consecrated bishop on September 12, 2009. 

The Philippines is home to Asia’s largest Catholic population, with some 81 percent of its over 100 million population professing Roman Catholicism.