The Apostolic Nunciature to the United States, sometimes referred to as the Vatican Embassy, is the diplomatic mission of the Holy See to the United States. It is located at 3339 Massachusetts Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C., in the Embassy Row neighborhood. Since 2016 the Papal nuncio has been Archbishop Christophe Pierre. The Apostolic Nunciature to the United States is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in the United States, with the rank of an embassy. The nuncio serves both as the ambassador of the Holy See to the government of the United States and as delegate and point-of-contact between the Catholic hierarchy in America and the pope. The Apostolic Nunciature is an administrative center of the Catholic Church in the United States. Communications from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the various dioceses in the United States to the Holy See pass through the nunciature. The nuncio also fills a central role in the appointment of bishops in the U.S. and is the official responsible for announcing such appointments. The physical building which houses the offices of the apostolic nuncio and his staff is also called the Nunciature to the United States of America. It is exempt from the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Washington (canon 366 1°). History The Apostolic Delegation to the United States on January 24, 1893, with offices in Washington, D.C.; it was led by an apostolic delegate. It was the result of an effort by the Holy See to establish communication between Pope Leo XIII and President Benjamin Harrison. An apostolic delegate is an ecclesiastical official rather than a diplomat who represents the Holy See to the Catholic Church in his host country. Because the delegate was not recognized by the U.S. government, the Holy See was not restricted in choosing its delegate and there were periods when two delegates served at the same time. The Holy See normally names a pro-nuncio rather than a delegate in anticipation of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Diplomatic relations were established on January 10, 1984, and the delegation was elevated to the rank of nunciature on January 11. The establishment of diplomatic relations was the result of an increased friendship of Pope John Paul II and President Ronald Reagan. The Holy See's representative continued to be titled pro-nuncio rather than nuncio because at the time the Vatican gave the title of nuncio only to its