Haiti: The Holy See Appoints Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo as New Apostolic Nuncio

Vatican diplomacy in Haiti sees a new face: the Holy See announced on February 11, 2026, the appointment of His Excellency Jude Thaddeus Okolo as the new Apostolic Nuncio, as anticipated by Reverend Father Claude Éric Andriamirado during his meeting with Laurent Saint-Cyr on January 29, 2026, marking a new chapter in diplomatic relations between the Vatican and the country. Titular Archbishop of Novica, Archbishop Okolo was born in Kano, Nigeria, on December 18, 1956. Ordained a priest on July 2, 1983, and incardinated in Nnewi, he holds a degree in canon law. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on June 1, 1990, serving in several pontifical representations worldwide, notably in Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and Oceania. His career has already led him to high responsibilities: Apostolic Nuncio to the Central African Republic and Chad in 2008, then to the Dominican Republic with the role of Apostolic Delegate to Puerto Rico in 2013, before being sent to Ireland in 2017, then to the Czech Republic in 2022. A polyglot, Archbishop Okolo speaks English, Italian, Spanish, German, and French. The Nunciature invites all clergy, consecrated persons, and the faithful to hold the new representative of the Holy Father in their prayers, to accompany his pastoral and diplomatic mission in the country. The note is signed by Claude Eric Andriamirado, Chargé d'affaires a.i., thus marking the upcoming assumption of office by Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo at the head of the Vatican's diplomatic representation in Haiti. The Editorial Staff