For over a century the world’s biggest power stood in opposition to the world’s foremost religious authority. A vehement strain of anti-Catholic sentiment, brought on by malicious rumors such as the Catholics participating in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, caused a breakoff of  diplomatic relations to the Holy See. Envoys continued on an informal level, but no official ties existed between the two countries until the closing decades of the 20th century.

On this day, January 10th, in 1984, the United States formally re-established relations with the Vatican. It was the first time ever a U.S. ambassador was assigned to the Holy See.

Relations between the two countries are still somewhat tense: the Vatican has criticized the American War on Terrorism after September 11th, and in particular the policies in Iraq. Likewise, a small controversy appeared during President Barack Obama’s term, when he briefly left the ambassador post vacant due in part to conflicting opinions on abortion and birth control.