Vatican: Archbishop Gänswein Appointed Nuncio to Baltic States

As CNA notes, “The appointment comes after months of speculation and rumor across Rome and the Church in Germany as to Gänswein’s future after the death of Benedict XVI.” After having spent more than a year in his original diocese, Freiburg im Breisgau, where he had no duties, the former secretary of the previous deceased Pope received his first diplomatic mission.

It must be said that Archbishop Gänswein has had a strained relationship with Francis. As cath.ch notes, he “had been one of the figures of the transition between the pontificates of Benedict XVI and Francis, continuing to assume the role of Prefect of the Papal Household after 2013,” but several matters would go on to sour his relationship with the new Pope.

There was first the publication of a book cosigned by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Cardinal Robert Sarah on priestly celibacy in January 2020. Pope Francis seemed to have felt it as a way of putting pressure on him, in placing the responsibility on the Secretary of the deceased Pope. The latter, despite having proclaimed his innocence, was removed from his position as Prefect.

A few days after the death of Benedict XVI, Archbishop Gänswein published his memoir, in which “he affirmed that disagreements existed between the Argentine Pontiff and his predecessor. He notably assured that Benedict XVI would have considered the motu proprio Traditionis custodes of 2021 an error,” cath.ch recalls. Shortly after, he was sent back to Germany.

The Pope recently complained about the German prelate, in his book interview released in April, El Sucesor [The Successor], published in Spanish, explaining: “I tell you with regret that his secretary sometimes made the task difficult for me,” cath.ch quotes. The book is dedicated to Francis’s relationship with the German Pope.

A Baltic Nunciature

The Baltic states differ rather widely from a religious point of view. Lithuania is a Catholic country, with 75% of its population being Catholic. But the Sunday practice remains weak, at barely 10%. Catholics represent 23% of the population of Latvia, and 7% are practicing.

Estonia represents the least religious country in the world in terms of declared affiliation: 45% of Estonians claim not to belong to any religion. There are only a handful of Catholics, representing only 1% of the population. There is also no bishop specifically for the country, but rather an Apostolic Administrator.

Vatican News clarifies that “Until last year, the Apostolic Nuncio in the three Baltic countries was Archbishop Petar Rajič, a Canadian of Bosnian-Croatian origin, who was appointed by the Holy Father, on March 11, as the Nuncio to Italy and San Marino.”