Nunciature to South Africa

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Bishop(s) Vacant Blasco Francisco Collaço, Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus

General Information Type of Jurisdiction: Nunciature Elevated: 25 June 1994 Diplomatic Post Country: South Africa Mailing Address: P.O. Box 95200, 0145 Waterkloof (Pretoria), South Africa; 4 Argo Street, 0181 Waterkloof Ridge (Pretoria), South Africa Telephone: (27-12)346.42.35 Fax: 346.14.94

Historical Details

• Delegation to Africa
  • Latin Name: Africae
  • Established: 7 December 1922
  • Diplomatic Post
  • Country: South Africa

• Delegation to Southern Africa
  • Latin Name: Africae Meridionali
  • Name Changed: 1935
  • Diplomatic Post
  • Country: South Africa

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Past and Present Ordinaries

• Bernhard Adriaan (Jordaan) Gijlswijk, O.P. † (2 Dec 1922 Appointed - 22 Dec 1944 Died)
• Martin Lucas, S.V.D. † (14 Sep 1945 Appointed - 3 Dec 1952 Appointed, Apostolic Internuncio to India)
• Celestine Joseph Damiano † (27 Nov 1952 Appointed - 24 Jan 1960 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Camden, New Jersey)
• Joseph Francis McGeough † (17 Sep 1960 Appointed - 8 Jul 1967 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland)
• John Gordon † (19 Aug 1967 Appointed - 11 Aug 1971 Appointed, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to India)
• Alfredo Poledrini † (20 Sep 1971 Appointed - 18 Sep 1978 Resigned)
• Edward Idris Cassidy † (25 Mar 1979 Appointed - 6 Nov 1984 Appointed, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Netherlands)
• Joseph Mees † (19 Jan 1985 Appointed - Oct 1987 Resigned)
• Ambrose Battista De Paoli † (6 Feb 1988 Appointed - 11 Nov 1997 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to Japan)
• Manuel Monteiro de Castro (2 Feb 1998 Appointed - 1 Mar 2000 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to Spain)
• Blasco Francisco Collaço (24 May 2000 Appointed - Aug 2006 Retired)
• James Patrick Green (17 Aug 2006 Appointed - 15 Oct 2011 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to Peru)
• Mario Roberto Cassari † (10 Mar 2012 Appointed - 22 May 2015 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to Malta)
• Peter Bryan Wells (9 Feb 2016 Appointed - 8 Feb 2023 Appointed, Apostolic Nuncio to Thailand)

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Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Delegation to Africa
7 December 1922	Established		Delegation to Africa
Delegation to Southern Africa
1935	Name Changed	Delegation to Africa	Delegation to Southern Africa
11 March 1967	Established	Delegation to Southern Africa	Nunciature to Lesotho
11 March 1992	Established	Delegation to Southern Africa	Nunciature to Swaziland
Nunciature to South Africa
25 June 1994	Elevated	Delegation to Southern Africa	Nunciature to South Africa

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Affiliated Bishops, Living

• Blasco Francisco Collaço (Apostolic Nuncio: 24 May 2000 to Aug 2006)
• James Patrick Green (Apostolic Nuncio: 17 Aug 2006 to 15 Oct 2011)
• Manuel Monteiro de Castro (Apostolic Nuncio: 2 Feb 1998 to 1 Mar 2000)
• Peter Bryan Wells (Apostolic Nuncio: 9 Feb 2016 to 8 Feb 2023)

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Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

• Mario Roberto Cassari † (Apostolic Nuncio: 10 Mar 2012 to 22 May 2015)
• Edward Idris Cassidy † (Apostolic Delegate: 25 Mar 1979 to 6 Nov 1984)
• Celestine Joseph Damiano † (Apostolic Delegate: 27 Nov 1952 to 24 Jan 1960)
• Ambrose Battista De Paoli † (Apostolic Delegate: 6 Feb 1988; Apostolic Nuncio: 25 Jun 1994 to 11 Nov 1997)
• Bernhard Adriaan (Jordaan) Gijlswijk, O.P. † (Apostolic Delegate: 2 Dec 1922 to 22 Dec 1944)
• John Gordon † (Apostolic Delegate: 19 Aug 1967 to 11 Aug 1971)
• Martin Lucas, S.V.D. † (Apostolic Delegate: 14 Sep 1945 to 3 Dec 1952)
• Joseph Francis McGeough † (Apostolic Delegate: 17 Sep 1960 to 8 Jul 1967)
• Joseph Mees † (Apostolic Delegate: 19 Jan 1985 to Oct 1987)
• Alfredo Poledrini † (Apostolic Delegate: 20 Sep 1971 to 18 Sep 1978)

Source(s)

Nunciature to South Africa Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Volume 86, Page 571

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