In an unexpected move, Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the former private secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, as a nuncio in the Vatican diplomatic corps.
The move follows tensions between Archbishop Gänswein and Pope Francis (pictured together), marked by the former’s desire for a new role in Rome following Benedict’s death.
Elisabetta Piqué, correspondent for La Nacion, reported the news based on credible sources within the Vatican.
“Notwithstanding the tensions between the two” Piqué reported, “Pope Francis has decided to clean the slate and give a new start and assignment to the former private secretary of Benedict, the German archbishop Georg Gänswein, who will soon be designated as nuncio in some part of the world.”
The move comes despite Archbishop Gänswein’s expression of discomfort – during a meeting with Pope Francis last December – at being without a role in the Church.
Commitment to mercy and reconciliation
The appointment has surprised many, considering the Archbishop’s previous publication in which he criticised Pope Francis.
“Woah. The Pope really does proclaim the God of Second Chances” writes papal biographer Austen Ivereigh on X.
The Archbishop’s book “Who Believes Is Not Alone: My Life Beside Benedict XVI” allegedly reveals a lack of trustworthiness and loyalty. In response to this publication and other incidents, Pope Francis suspended him from his role as prefect of the papal household in 2020.
In El Sucesor (a recent Spanish-language interview book), Francis revealed that Benedict’s secretary “at times made difficulties for me”.
Francis said that, having observed the influential role that Benedict’s collaborators played, he decided “to dissolve the papal secretariat”, the position Archbishop Gänswein had held. Francis added “it is not good to have an all-powerful secretary”.
Despite speculations about his future role within the Roman Curia, Archbishop Gänswein has now been assigned to a nunciature.
This unexpected move by Pope Francis underscores his commitment to mercy and reconciliation within the Catholic Church, even amidst past tensions.
The Vatican has yet to announce Archbishop Gänswein’s new appointment officially.
Sources