Apostolic Nunciature in Ottawa

Apostolic Nunciature in Ottawa
The gate house of the nunciature with the manor in the distance
Location	Ottawa
Address	Rockcliffe Park

The Apostolic Nunciature in Ottawa is the home of the Papal Nuncio to Canada. Also known as Rockcliffe Manor House, it is one of Ottawa's most expensive homes, appraised at $5.3 million in 2000. The building sits atop a cliff looking down to the Ottawa River.

History of the building

The first home on the property, built by Duncan Rynier MacNab in 1838, was named "Rockcliff" because of its location. This name eventually was applied to the entire neighbourhood of Rockcliffe Park where the Nunciature is located. In 1868 the property was purchased by Thomas Coltrin Keefer, son-in-law of Thomas McKay, after he had sold Rideau Hall to the government to house the Governor General. Keefer rebuilt the house and extensively enlarged it. The house remained in the Keefer family for several generations until in 1929 when it was purchased by Cairine Wilson and her husband Norman. They completely rebuilt the house, destroying almost all of the original.

It was sold to the Holy See in 1962, who had previously been based in a building on Queen Elizabeth Driveway. 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.

History of Canada-Vatican relations

Although the Roman Catholic Church has been territorially established in Canada since the founding of New France in the early 17th century, relations with the Holy See were only officially established under the papacy of Paul VI in the 1960s.

Main article: Holy See–Canada relations

Nuncios to Canada since 1959

• Sebastiano Baggio (12 Mar 1959 - 26 May 1964 )
• Sergio Pignedoli (1 Jun 1964 - 10 Jun 1967)
• Emanuele Clarizio (12 Jun 1967 - 19 Mar 1970)
• Guido Del Mestri (20 Jun 1970 - 12 Aug 1975 )
• Angelo Palmas (2 Sep 1975 - 10 Mar 1990 )
• Carlo Curis (28 Mar 1990 - 4 Feb 1999 )
• Paolo Romeo (5 Feb 1999 - 17 Apr 2001)
• Luigi Ventura (22 Jun 2001 - 22 September 2009)
• Pedro Lopez Quintana (10 December 2009 - present)

References

• Cook, Maria. "Papal Envoy's Magnificent Hideaway." Ottawa Citizen. May 20, 2003. pg. B.3