Pope replaces ambassador who arranged Kim Davis meeting

VATICAN CITY, April 12 (UPI) -- Pope Francis has replaced the archbishop who set up the pope's meeting with controversial Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis last fall.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, who reached the mandatory retirement age of 75, earlier this year. will be succeeded by French Archbishop Christophe Pierre, 70.

In the pope's visit to the United States last fall, he met for less than 15 minutes with the Kentucky official who had been jailed over her refusal to issue marriage licenses after the Supreme Court ruled same-sex marriage legal. The session occurred on the same day he addressed Congress in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 25.

After news of the meeting generated an uproar, the Vatican clarified that Davis had been one of "several dozen" people who met Francis at the Vatican's embassy and that it was set up by the Vatican's diplomatic office in Washington.

Vigano has represented the Vatican in Washington since 2011. He had come under scrutiny in questions over how Francis came to meet Davis during his September U.S. trip.

Pierre helped organize Francis' visit Feb. 12-18 to Mexico, when the pontiff stayed each night in the nuncio's residence in Mexico City.

Vigano was honored Thursday evening by the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. bishops' seminary in Rome.

The Vatican said in October that the meeting should not be considered a sign of support for Davis.

A statement by spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi of the Holy See's Nunciature, or diplomatic mission, in Washington, said "the Pope did not enter into the details of the situation of Mrs. Davis and his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support of her position in all of its particular and complex aspects."

According to America Magazine, Pierre has served in Washington since March 22, 2007. Previously, he served in Ugando from 1999-2007 and in Haiti from 1995-99. He speaks English fluently.