Vatican May Be Blocking Gay Ambassador Appointment

— -- The Vatican has yet to approve the appointment of an openly gay French ambassador to the Holy See, prompting some to interpret the silence as a rebuke of the man’s sexuality.

The Holy See had yet to respond to the nomination of Laurent Stéfanini, which was delivered in January, French newspaper Le Monde reported Thursday.

Vatican experts say they believe the delay in approval is effectively a rejection of Stéfanini, but the Vatican itself won’t comment.

"Any host government has the right to grant agrément or refuse it for their own reasons," the Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, told the Washington Post.

Stéfanini, a practicing Catholic, had served four years as the second-highest ranking French diplomat to the Holy See before becoming head of protocol in President François Hollande’s government.

Even the Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, reportedly supported the appointment.

This is not the first time the Vatican has apparently refused a proposed French ambassador for being gay. As of now, 180 states have diplomatic relations with the Holy See, plus the European Union, the Order of Malta and a mission of the state of Palestine. A total of 83 countries have embassies to the Holy See in Rome.

France is now reportedly considering other candidates for the post.