Vatican ambassador finds new Roman home

Ireland’s renewed relationship with the Vatican took another important step forward last week with the formal establishment of the new residence of the ambassador to the Holy See.

 

A St Patrick’s Day reception, attended by the Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher, was one of the first official engagements in the new residence.

 

Ambassador Emma Madigan, who presented her credentials to Pope Francis in November, has been charged with re-establishing upgraded Ireland-Holy See relations after the Government reversed a controversial decision not to appoint a resident ambassador to the Vatican.

 

The new residence, which the ambassador will use to host talks and engagements with senior officials of the Roman Curia and other diplomatic occasions, is situated just across the Tiber river from the Vatican in the shadows of the iconic Pantheon.

 

The Irish Catholic understands that Department of Foreign Affairs officials were particularly keen to have a site that was a short distance from the major offices of the Roman Curia.

 

The new residence is located in the Piazza Rondanini, at the heart of Rome’s centro storico district and is considerable in size meaning it will be an ideal location for lectures and other cultural events for the wider diplomatic community.

 

Since her arrival in Rome almost six months ago, Ambassador Madigan has prioritised areas of mutual concern between Ireland and the Holy See including development, human trafficking and peacemaking in troubled parts of the globe. Minister Simon Coveney was the first cabinet member to visit the new residence in the context of celebrations in the eternal city to mark St Patrick’s Day.

The Holy See currently has diplomatic relations with 180 sovereign states. Embassies are not situated within Vatican City, but at various locations throughout Rome.