Vatican Appoints Interim Chargé d’Affaires to South Sudan

Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Marco Ganci as the interim chargé d’affaires at the Apostolic Nunciature in South Sudan. Msgr. Ganci arrived in Juba on Thursday, October 15, 2026, to maintain the Vatican's diplomatic mission while Archbishop Séamus Patrick Horgan undergoes medical treatment.

Auxiliary Bishop Santo Loku Pio of the Archdiocese of Juba and Father Romano Louis of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference received Msgr. Ganci upon his arrival. The interim representative will serve in Juba until Archbishop Horgan can resume his duties.

Archbishop Horgan has served as the first resident papal representative to South Sudan since his appointment on May 14, 2024. In a statement read in Juba during a bishops' meeting in July 2026, the Archbishop noted that an unexpected medical diagnosis required a cycle of treatment expected to last several months. He did not disclose the specific nature of his diagnosis but expressed optimism regarding his recovery.