Pope Leo XIV names Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis as the Holy See’s new UN observer and appoints members to Apostolic Signatura.
Newsroom (25/07/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Vatican has announced a significant diplomatic and judicial reshuffle, with Pope Leo XIV appointing Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis as the Holy See’s new Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York.
The appointment, confirmed Saturday by the Holy See Press Office, places the Lebanese-born prelate at the center of the Vatican’s engagement with the international community. In his new role, Archbishop El-Kassis will represent the Holy See at the United Nations, where it holds Permanent Observer status, allowing participation in the work of the General Assembly and other UN bodies without full voting membership.
Archbishop El-Kassis, Titular Archbishop of Roselle, brings extensive diplomatic experience to the position. He has most recently served as Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, while also acting as Apostolic Delegate to the Arabian Peninsula. His tenure in these roles positioned him at a strategic crossroads of geopolitical and interreligious dynamics.
Ordained in 1994, El-Kassis entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 2000. Over the course of his career, he has served in a range of international postings, including Indonesia, Sudan, and Turkey, in addition to assignments within the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. These roles have contributed to a broad portfolio of diplomatic engagement across diverse cultural and political contexts.
His appointment signals continuity in the Vatican’s approach to multilateral diplomacy, particularly at a time when the Holy See continues to maintain an active presence in global discussions on peace, humanitarian issues, and international cooperation.
In a parallel development, Pope Leo XIV has also named new members to the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the highest judicial authority within the Catholic Church after the Pope himself.
The newly appointed members include Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone of San Francisco, United States; Bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz of Sandomierz, Poland; Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, former Secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts; and Bishop Edward M. Lohse of Kalamazoo, United States.
They are joined by prominent canon law scholars: Reverend Eduardo Baura de la Peña, full professor at the Faculty of Canon Law of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome; Reverend Gianpaolo Montini, full professor at the Faculty of Canon Law of the Collegium Maximum of the Pontifical Gregorian University; and Reverend Father Ulrich Rhode, S.J., also a full professor at the Gregorian University.
These appointments reflect a blend of pastoral leadership and academic expertise, reinforcing the tribunal’s role in overseeing the administration of justice within the Church.
Together, the diplomatic and judicial nominations underscore the Vatican’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its global presence and internal governance structures under Pope Leo XIV.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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