Apostolic Nunciature to France

Façade of the Apostolic Nunciature to the French Republic

The Apostolic Nunciature to the French Republic is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in France. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador.

History of the Nunciature

The early twentieth century was a very difficult time in France-Vatican relations because of tensions over Church-State separation (laïcité) and anticlericalism, which were condemned by Pius X, and which led to the freezing of relations.

However, relations were renewed after the First World War and had very much improved under the presidency of Charles de Gaulle. There was controversy over relations under the Vichy regime, because the regime rewarded the Church even though bishops often opposed antisemitism.

Relations with the Sarkozy government have been relatively good, given the fact that the government has announced an end to the ban on recognition of higher Christian institutions.

Apostolic Nuncios to France since 1899

• Benedetto Lorenzelli (10 May 1899 – 31 Jul 1904 )
• Bonaventura Cerretti (20 May 1921 – 12 Oct 1931)
• Luigi Maglione (23 Jun 1926 – 22 Jul 1938)
• Valerio Valeri (11 Jul 1936 – 1944)
• Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (23 Dec 1944 – 15 Jan 1953) (Later Pope John XXIII)
• Paolo Marella (15 Apr 1953 – 1959 )
• Paolo Bertoli (16 Apr 1960 – 1969 )
• Egano Righi-Lambertini (23 Apr 1969 – 1979)
• Angelo Felici (27 Aug 1979 – 1 Jul 1988)
• Lorenzo Antonetti (23 Sep 1988 – 24 Jun 1995)
• Mario Tagliaferri (13 Jul 1995 – 21 May 1999 )
• Fortunato Baldelli (19 Jun 1999 – 2 June 2009)
• Luigi Ventura (22 Sept 2009 – present)