Nunciature in Warsaw

In the period between the world wars papal representatives in Warsaw used a number of seats before in early December 1924 apostolic nuncio Lorenzo Lauri moved into a building in Szucha Street. The nunciature owes its interior designs and furnishings to the last nuncio before World War II, Archbishop Filippo Cortesi. After the outbreak of the war Archbishop Cortesi left Warsaw on 5 September 1939. The nunciature was destroyed as a result of German air raids. After the war, on 13 June 1947 the authorities of the capital city approved of the plan of its reconstruction. In the period 1949-52 this was the seat of the Primate of Poland Archbishop Stefan Wyszyński. After he moved to the rebuilt seat of the Archbishops of Warsaw, the building remained a seat of some institutions of the Primatial Secretariat, such as the Press Office of the Conference of the Polish Episcopate. An overhaul of the entire building was finished by 1985. after the resumption of diplomatic relations between Poland and the Holy See, the building was transferred to a representative of the Vatican, Msgr. Celestino Migliori, on 2 November 1989. Archbishop Józef Kowalczyk, the first apostolic nuncio to Poland in 50 years, arrived in Poland three weeks later.

Pope John Paul II stayed for the night in the nunciature at 12 Szucha Street during his three pilgrimages to Poland – in 1991, 1997, and 1999.

kg, KAI //mam