Pope names U.S. Ambassador Jim Nicholson a papal knight

Published: 2003-10-28

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II has named Jim Nicholson, the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, a papal knight. Nicholson received the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius IX during an Oct. 27 ceremony at the Vatican. Msgr. Tommaso Caputo, head of protocol in the Vatican Secretariat of State, presented the cross and the knighthood declaration to the ambassador. The Grand Cross is the highest papal award given to a layman or woman who is not a head of state. Fewer than 70 of the honors are awarded each year, according to the Vatican's Web site. Nicholson, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, was named U.S. ambassador to the Vatican in 2001 by President George W. Bush.

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