The Apostolic

Nuncio An apostolic nuncio ( la, nuntius apostolicus; also known as a papal nuncio or simply as a nuncio) is an ecclesiastical diplomat, serving as an envoy or a permanent diplomatic representative of the Holy See to a state or to an international or ...

to Belgium is the holder of a diplomatic position within the Catholic Church, who acts as Ambassador 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 ...

to the

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

. Diplomatic relations between the Belgian state (1830) and the

began in 1835. Until then, diplomatic relations for Catholics living on Belgian territories were secured by the vice-superior of the

Dutch Mission The Holland Mission or Dutch Mission ( or ') (1592 – 1853) was the common name of a Catholic Church missionary district in the Low Countries during and after the Protestant Reformation. History Pre-reformation diocese and archdiocese of ...

Papal representatives to Belgium

;Apostolic Internuncios * Pasquale Gizzi (1835–1837) ;Apostolic Nuncios *

Raffaele Fornari Raffaele Fornari (23 January 1787, in Rome, Italy – 15 June 1854, in Rome) was a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a member of the Papal diplomacy and was nuntius to Belgium in 1842, to France 1842–1851, and prefect of the Congreg ...

(1842–1843) * Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci (28 Jan 1843 – ) *

Innocenzo Ferrieri Innocenzo Ferrieri (1810–1887) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Ferrieri was appointed Titular Archbishop of Side on 4 October 1847. He was elevated to Cardinal on 13 March 1868 by Pope Pius IX and appointed Cardinal-Pries ...

(15 November 1848 – 30 September 1850) *Matteo Eustachio Gonella (13 June 1850 – 1 October 1861) *Mieczyslaw Halka Ledóchowski (1 October 1861 – 8 January 1866) *Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano (15 May 1866 – 29 May 1868) *Giacomo Cattani (24 July 1868 – 27 April 1875) *

Serafino Vannutelli Serafino Vannutelli (26 November 1834 – 19 August 1915) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, a cardinal and official of the Roman Curia where he held several of the highest administrative posts. Made a cardinal in 1887, he was named ...

(10 September 1875 – 3 December 1880) *

Domenico Ferrata Domenico Ferrata JUD (4 March 1847 – 10 October 1914) was an Italian Roman Catholic Cardinal who spent most of his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See and in the Roman Curia. Life Ferrata was born in Gradoli, near Viterbo to Gio ...

(14 April 1885 – 20 April 1889) *Giuseppe Francica-Nava de Bontifè † (4 May 1889) * Benedetto Lorenzelli (30 May 1893 – 1 October 1896) *

Aristide Rinaldini Aristide Rinaldini (5 February 1844 – 11 February 1920) was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Apostolic Nuncio to Spain from 1899 to 1907. He was made a cardinal in 1907. Biography Born in Montefalco, Aristide Ri ...

(14 August 1896 – 28 December 1899) * Gennaro Granito Pignatelli di Belmonte (10 November 1899) *

Antonio Vico Antonio Vico may refer to: * Antonio Vico (cardinal) (1847–1929), cardinal of the Catholic Church *Antonio Vico y Pintos Antonio Vico Pinto (3 December 1840 - 8 March 1940) was a Spanish stage actor. Family provenance Antonio Vico Pinto was bor ...

(4 February 1904 – 21 October 1907) *

Giovanni Tacci Porcelli Giovanni Tacci Porcelli known as Giovanni Tacci (12 November 1863 – 30 June 1928) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was Bishop of Città della Pieve for twenty years, then a papal ambassador, and finally secretary of the Co ...

(31 December 1907 – 29 April 1911) *

Achille Locatelli Achille Locatelli (15 March 1856 in Seregno, Milan, Italy – 5 April 1935 in Rome) was a Roman Catholic cardinal. He worked in papal diplomacy, and among other positions, he was nuntius in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. He was named Apostol ...

(8 July 1916 – 13 July 1918) * Sebastiano Nicotra (1 October 1918 – July 1923) *

Angelo Dolci Angelo Maria Dolci (12 July 1867 – 13 September 1939) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was made a cardinal in 1933. He was Bishop of Gubbio from 1900 to 1906, Archbishop of Amalfi from 1911 to 1914, and Apostolic Vicar of ...

(14 December 1922 – 30 May 1923) *

Clemente Micara Clemente Micara (24 December 1879 – 11 March 1965) was an Italian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1909 to 1950 and was Vicar General of Rome from 1951 until his death. Pope Pius ...

(30 May 1923 – 11 November 1950) *

Fernando Cento Fernando Cento (10 August 1883 – 13 January 1973) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Major Penitentiary of Apostolic Penitentiary. Early life Fernando Cento was born in Pollenza, Italy. His parents were Evaristo Cento and ...

(9 March 1946 – 26 October 1953) *

Efrem Forni Efrem Leone Pio Forni (10 January 1889 – 26 February 1976) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Nuncio to Belgium and Internuncio to Luxembourg from 1953 to 1962, and was elevated to the Cardinalate in 1962 ...

(9 November 1953 – 19 March 1962) *

Silvio Oddi Silvio Angelo Pio Oddi (14 November 1910 – 29 June 2001) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See and in the Roman Curia. He became a cardinal in 1969 and headed the Congregation for th ...

(17 May 1962 – 30 April 1969) *

Igino Eugenio Cardinale Igino Eugenio Cardinale (14 October 1916 – 24 March 1983) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who spent his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He held the title of archbishop and apostolic nuncio from 1963 until his death ...

(19 April 1969 – 24 March 1983) * Angelo Pedroni (6 July 1983 – 13 June 1989) * Giovanni Moretti (15 July 1989 – 3 March 1999) *

Pier Luigi Celata Pier Luigi Celata (born 23 January 1937) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who from July 2012 to December 2014 was Vice Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church. He spent much of his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He becam ...

(3 March 1999 – 14 November 2002) *

Karl-Josef Rauber Karl-Josef Rauber (11 April 1934 – 26 March 2023) was a German prelate of the Catholic Church who served as an apostolic nuncio from 1982 until his retirement in 2009. He was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2015. Biography After grad ...

(22 February 2003 – 18 June 2009) *

Giacinto Berloco Giacinto Berloco (born 31 August 1941) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as the Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and to Luxembourg from 2009 to 2016. Biography Born in Altamura, Italy, on 31 August 1941, Giacinto Berloco was o ...

(18 June 2009 – 23 September 2016) *

Augustine Kasujja Augustine Kasujja (born 26 April 1946) is a Ugandan prelate of the Catholic Church who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He was the Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium from 2016 to 2021. He was the first black African to hold the title ...

(12 October 2016 – 31 August 2021) *

Franco Coppola Franco Coppola (born 31 March 1957) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and Luxembourg since 2021. He has served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1993. Biography Coppola was born i ...

(15 November 2021 – present)

Papal representatives to Belgium

References

See also