The Apostolic Nunciature to Papua New Guinea is an ecclesiastical office of the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea. It is a diplomatic post of the Holy See, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. The Apostolic Nuncio to Papua New Guinea is usually also the Apostolic Nuncio to the Solomon Islands upon his appointment to said nation. The nuncio resides in Port Moresby.
Australia administered the two areas known as Papua and New Guinea from the First World War until Papua New Guinea became an independent nation in 1975. The Holy See 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. Pope Paul VI named Gino Paro Delegate to Australia and Papua New Guinea–a single title–on 5 May 1969.[1] The 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.[3]