The Apostolic Nunciature to Canada is the diplomatic mission of the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. It is headed by the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, which is both an ecclesiastical and diplomatic office, with the rank of ambassador. The Holy See first created a Delegation to Canada and Newfoundland on 3 August 1899. It became the Apostolic Delegation to Canada on 31 March 1949 when the independent nation of

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

became the tenth province of Canada. Once Canada and the Holy See reached agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations and the exchange of ambassadors,

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his ...

erected the Apostolic Nunciature to Canada on 16 October 1969.

Property

The nunciature was based in a building on

Queen Elizabeth Driveway Queen Elizabeth Driveway is a scenic parkway in Ottawa, Canada, that runs along the western edge of the Rideau Canal. It runs from Laurier Avenue (Ottawa), Laurier Avenue in the north to Dow's Lake where it turns into Prince of Wales Drive (Ottawa ...

until it purchased Rockcliffe House in 1962. The manor is located on two hectares of grounds and has a large gate house, that was originally the stables and coach house, separating it from the street and several other out buildings. The first home on the property, built by Duncan Reynier MacNab in 1838–39, was named "Rockcliff House" for its location. This name neighbourhood became known as

Rockcliffe Park Rockcliffe Park ( French: ''Parc Rockcliffe'') is a neighbourhood in Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward, close to the centre of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1864, organized as a Police village in 1908, and an independent village from 1926, and ul ...

. In 1868 the property was purchased by Thomas Coltrin Keefer, son-in-law of Thomas McKay, after he had sold

Rideau Hall Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and their representative, the governor general of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main b ...

to the government to house the

Governor General Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...

. Keefer rebuilt and extensively enlarged the house. It remained in the Keefer family 1929 when it was purchased by

Cairine Wilson Cairine Reay Mackay Wilson (February 4, 1885 – March 3, 1962) was Canada's first woman to become senator. She served as a Senator for Quebec from 1930 until her death. Personal life Cairine Reay Mackay was born in Montreal on February 4, ...

, the first Canadian woman to be named to

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

and her husband

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

. In 1929 the building was renovated in the style of Directoire Manor Houses of France. The house was included amongst other architecturally interesting and historically significant buildings in

Doors Open Ottawa Doors Open Ottawa is an annual event held in the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that gives the public access to many of the city's unique and historically significant buildings. Among the buildings included are government offices, museums, radio ...

, held June 2 and 3, 2012.

Papal representatives to Canada

;Apostolic Delegates to Canada and Newfoundland * George Conroy (10 April 1877 - 4 August 1878) * Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta (10 March 1897 - 21 October 1899) *

Diomede Falconio Diomede Angelo Raffaele Gennaro Falconio, O.F.M. (20 September 1842 – 8 February 1917) was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for Religious from 1916 until his death, and was elevated to ...

, O.F.M. Ref. (3 August 1899 - 30 September 1902) *

Donato Sbarretti Donato Raffaele Sbarretti Tazza (NovemberSources differ as to whether he was born on 10 or 12 November. 1856 – 1 April 1939)(2 April 1939)Donato Sbaretti, Cardinal, 82, Dead ''The New York Times'' was an Italian Roman Catholic Cardinal w ...

(26 December 1902 - 29 October 1910) * Pellegrino Francesco Stagni, O.S.M. (3 November 1910 - 11 June 1918) * Pietro di Maria (11 June 1918 - 3 June 1926) *

Andrea Cassulo Andrea Cassulo (30 November 1869 – 9 January 1952) was an archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church and a representative of the Holy See in Egypt, Canada, Romania and Turkey from 1921 to 1952. Biography He was born in Castelletto d'Orba in 1869 and ...

(7 May 1927 - 14 June 1936) *

Ildebrando Antoniutti Ildebrando Antoniutti (3 August 1898 – 1 August 1974) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as prefect of the Congregation for Religious from 1963 to 1973, and was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope John XXIII in 1 ...

(14 July 1938 - 21 October 1953) ;Apostolic Delegates to Canada * Giovanni Panico (14 November 1953 - 24 January 1959) *

Sebastiano Baggio Sebastiano Baggio (16 May 1913 – 21 March 1993) was an Italian cardinal, often thought to be a likely candidate for election to the papacy. He served as President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State from 1984 to 1990 and was P ...

(12 March 1959 – 26 May 1964) *

Sergio Pignedoli Sergio Pignedoli (4 June 1910 – 15 June 1980) was a prominent Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and a top candidate for pope. He served as auxiliary bishop to Pope Paul VI when he was archbishop of Milan, and as President of the ...

(1 June 1964 – 10 June 1967) ;Apostolic Pro-Nuncios to Canada *

Emanuele Clarizio Emanuele Clarizio (18 May 1911 – 16 April 2001) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1939 to 1970, serving with the title of archbishop as the principal papal representative in Pak ...

(12 June 1967 – 19 March 1970) * Guido Del Mestri (20 June 1970 – 13 August 1975) *

Angelo Palmas Angelo Palmas (21 December 1914 – 9 June 2003) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. Biography Palmas was born in Villanova Monteleone, Italy, on 21 December 1914. He was ordained a pr ...

(2 September 1975 – 10 March 1990) *

Carlo Curis Carlo Curis (2 November 1923 – 29 September 2014) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. Biography Curis was born in La Maddalena, Italy, and ordained priest on 13 July 1947. Curis was appointed Titular Archbishop of Medeli as well a ...

(28 March 1990 – 1 September 1994) ;Apostolic Nuncios *

(1 September 1994 – 5 February 1999) *

Paolo Romeo Paolo Romeo (born 20 February 1938) is a cardinal and archbishop emeritus of Palermo. He was appointed to the see of Palermo by Pope Benedict XVI on 19 December 2006. Romeo was the fifth of nine children. After primary school he entered the sem ...

(5 February 1999 – 17 April 2001) * Luigi Ventura (22 June 2001 – 22 September 2009) * Pedro Lopez Quintana (10 December 2009 – 28 September 2013) * Luigi Bonazzi (18 December 2013 – 10 December 2020) *

Ivan Jurkovič Ivan Jurkovič (born 10 June 1952) is a Slovenian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been the Apostolic Nuncio to Canada since June 2021. He has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1984 and was the Nuncio to Russia and N ...

(5 June 2021 – present)

References

;Additional sources *Cook, Maria. "Papal Envoy's Magnificent Hideaway." ''

Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris (journalist), William Harris, it was renamed the '' ...

''. May 20, 2003. pg. B.3 {{Diplomatic missions in Canada

Canada–Holy See relations

Property

Papal representatives to Canada

See also

References