Leopoldo Girelli

Leopoldo Girelli (born 13 March 1953) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and to Cyprus as well as Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, since 2017. He has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1987 and previously served as Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia, East Timor, and Singapore.

His Excellency

Leopoldo Girelli
Apostolic Nuncio to Israel
Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine
Apostolic Nuncio to Cyprus
Appointed13 September 2017
Orders
Ordination17 June 1978
by Giulio Oggioni
Consecration17 Jun 2006
by Angelo Sodano
Personal details
Born (1953-03-13) 13 March 1953
Predore, Italy
NationalityItalian
Previous post
  • Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore
  • Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia
  • Apostolic Nuncio to East Timor
  • Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia
  • Apostolic Delegate to Brunei
  • Papal Representative to Vietnam
Alma materPontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
Styles of
Leopoldo Girelli
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleArchbishop

Biography

Girelli was born in Predore, Province of Bergamo, Italy, on 13 March 1953.

He was ordained a priest on 17 June 1978 and incardinated in the diocese of Bergamo. He graduated in Theology.[1] To prepare for the diplomatic service, he completed the course of study at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1984.[2]

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 13 July 1987 and worked in the papal diplomatic missions in Cameroon and New Zealand and at the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, and finally in the Apostolic Nunciature to the United States where he held the rank of Counsellor.[1]

On 13 April 2006 Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia and Titular Archbishop of Capreae.[1] He was consecrated bishop on 17 June, with Cardinal Angelo Sodano as principal consecrator. On 10 October 2006 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to East Timor in addition to his duties as Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia.[3]

On 13 January 2011 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia and to Brunei Darussalam, and non-residential papal representative for Vietnam.[4][lower-alpha 1] He was the first papal representative appointed for Vietnam since the expulsion of the resident Apostolic Delegate in 1975.[7][lower-alpha 2] On 18 June 2011 Girelli was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).[9] On 16 January 2013, he was replaced in several of these positions, retaining only his title in Singapore and Vietnam.[10]

On 13 September 2017, Pope Francis appointed Girelli Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine.[11][12] Two days later, Girelli was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Cyprus.[13][14]

Notes
  1. When diplomatic relations with Malaysia were established on 27 July 2011, Girelli continued, pending the appointment of the first nuncio to that country, to act as non-diplomatic Apostolic Delegate for Malaysia, accredited to the Catholic Church in the country but not to the Government.[5] The 2012 Annuario Pontificio gave no indication of where the first Nuncio to Malaysia was to be resident, whether in Malaysia, Singapore or elsewhere.[6]
  2. His appointment was approved by the Vietnamese Government, although Apostolic Delegates, being accredited not to the Government but to the Church in the country, are normally assigned without prior consultation of the Government. Accordingly, the 2012 Annuario Pontificio, the first edition published after the change, classified the papal representative office for Vietnam as an Apostolic Delegation, but referred to Archbishop Girelli not as an Apostolic Delegate but, generically, as Papal Representative for Vietnam.[8]

References
  1. "Rinunce e Nomine, 12.04.2006" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 April 2006. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  2. "Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica, Ex-alunni 1950 – 1999" (in Italian). Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  3. "Rinunce e Nomine, 10.10.2006" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 10 October 2006. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  4. "Rinunce e Nomine, 13.01.2011" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 January 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  5. Kinabalu, Kota (1 November 2011). "Papal delegate positive on Vatican relations". UCA News. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  6. Annuario Pontificio 2012, p. 1319
  7. "The Pope appoints his "representative" for Vietnam". Asia News. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  8. Annuario Pontificio 2012, p. 1330
  9. "Rinunce e Nomine, 18.06.2011" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 18 June 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  10. O'Connell, Gerard (18 January 2013). "Pope appoints American as first Nuncio to Malaysia". La Stampa. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  11. "Rinunce e Nomine, 13.09.2017" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 13 September 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  12. "Pope appoints new Vatican ambassador to Israel". Times of India. 13 September 2017.
  13. "Rinunce e Nomine, 15.09.2017" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  14. "Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli Is Appointed Apostolic Nuncio in Cyprus". Zenit. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2019.


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