Apostolic Nunciature to Great Britain

Apostolic Nunciature to Great Britain
Map
LocationWimbledon, London
Address54 Parkside,
London,
SW19 5NE
Coordinates51°26′10″N 0°13′26″W / 51.4361°N 0.2239°W / 51.4361; -0.2239
Apostolic NuncioMiguel Maury Buendía

The Apostolic Nunciature to Great Britain is the diplomatic office of the Holy See in Great Britain. It is headed by the Apostolic Nuncio, who has the rank of an ambassador (officially, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St. James's). The parties agreed to exchange representatives at the ambassadorial level and Pope John Paul II erected the Nunciature to Great Britain on 17 January 1982.[1][2] Before then, the interests of the Holy See in Great Britain had been represented by an Apostolic Delegate since 1938, though not granted diplomatic status until 1979.[3] The decision to designate the nuncio to Great Britain rather than the United Kingdom reflected the complex and frequently antagonistic relationship between the Holy See and the British crown since they severed ties in the sixteenth century. British government sources said it had been agreed that the nuncio in London would concern himself with matters in England, Scotland and Wales, while the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, based in Dublin, would have within his purview the entire island of Ireland.[1]

The office of the nunciature is in London, at 54 Parkside, in Wimbledon, lying within the Archdiocese of Southwark and overlooking Wimbledon Common. It was the only diplomatic mission in London located south of the river Thames until the United States Embassy opened its new premises in Vauxhall in 2018. The Nuncio to Great Britain is also the papal representative to Gibraltar.[4]

The current nuncio as of April 2023 is Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía.[5]

  1. ^ a b Apple, R.W. (7 February 1982). "Pope Sees Hope of Unity in Renewed Ties to Britain". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2018. Northern Ireland also caused some soul-searching, Government sources said. In the end it was decided that the Vatican would in future deal with Northern Ireland through the nuncio in Dublin and with England, Scotland and Wales through the pro-nuncio in London.
  2. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXIV. 1982. pp. 379–80. In Magna Britannia Apostolica Nuntiatura constituitur.
  3. ^ "Papal Envoy in Britain Is Received by Queen". The New York Times. Associated Press. 19 March 1982. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  4. ^ Matthew Bunson (2008). Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac 2009. Our Sunday Visitor Publishing. pp. 256. ISBN 978-1-59276-441-9.
  5. ^ "Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Great Britain - Resignations and Appointments, 13.04.2023" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.