Apostolic Nunciature to the Solomon Islands

The Apostolic Nunciature to the Solomon Islands is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in the Solomon Islands. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The nuncio resides in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The United Kingdom took control of the Solomon Islands from Germany at the end of the 19th century and ruled the region under the British Solomon Islands Protectorate until the Solomon Islands became an independent nation in 1975. The Holy See was long represented in the region by representatives with regional responsibility. It established its Delegation to Australia on 15 April 1914, which was succeeded by the Delegation to Australia, New Zealand and Oceania in 1947 and the Delegation to Australia and Papua New Guinea in 1968. All those officials were responsibility for the Solomons as well. Pope Paul VI named Gino Paro Delegate to Australia and Papua New Guinea–a single title–on 5 May 1969.[1] The separate Nunciature to Australia was created 5 March 1973[2] and when Paro was named Nuncio to Australia on 4 July 1973 he remained Delegate to Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.[3] The creation of the Nunciature to Papua New Guinea on 7 March 1977[4] left the Delegation with the Solomon Islands as its sole responsibility. The Holy See established the Apostolic Nunciature to the Solomon Islands on 27 July 1985.[5]