Apostolic Nuncio to Poland
Encyclopedia
The Apostolic Nuncio to Poland is one of the oldest nuncios, appointed by the Pope
as apostolic representative to the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. Three nuncios to Poland went on to be elected pope. Three were cardinals
at the time of their appointment as nuncio, and the rest—with the sole exception of Filippo Cortesi
—were elevated afterwards.
null and void in 1945 due to what they perceived as its wartime abrogation
. No Apostolic Nuncio was appointed between 1947 and 1989. Two Delegation Chiefs partially filled this role:
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
as apostolic representative to the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. Three nuncios to Poland went on to be elected pope. Three were cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
at the time of their appointment as nuncio, and the rest—with the sole exception of Filippo Cortesi
Filippo Cortesi
Filippo Cortesi was the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland from December 24, 1936 to February 1, 1947. Cortesi earlier served as nuncio to Paraguay in the interim. Cortesi was the only nuncio to Poland never to become a cardinal....
—were elevated afterwards.
To the Kingdom of Poland
- Luigi LippomanoLuigi LippomanoLuigi Lippomano was an Italian cardinal and hagiographer.- Life :Illegitimate son of a Venetian patrician, Lippomano was destined for an ecclesiastical career. He studied at Padua and eventually entered into service at the papal court in Rome...
(1555-ante 1559) - Giovanni Francesco CommendoneGiovanni Francesco CommendoneGiovanni Francesco Commendone was an Italian Cardinal and papal nuncio.-Life:After an education in the humanities and in jurisprudence at the University of Padua, he came to Rome in 1550...
(September 1563-December 1565)
To the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Vincenzo LauroVincenzo LauroVincenzo Lauro was an Italian papal diplomat, bishop of Mondovì, and Cardinal from 1583.He was born at Tropea. His career was forwarded by Cardinal Pier Paolo Parisio and Cardinal Nicola Gaddi. He became a diplomat while acting for Cardinal François de Tournon in 1552...
(June 1, 1573-April 9, 1578) - Alberto Bolognetto (April 12, 1581-February 1585)
- Jakub UchańskiJakub UchanskiJakub Uchański , of Radwan Coat of Arms, was an archbishop of Gniezno and primate of Poland from 1562 to 1581, interrex from 1572 to 1573 and from 1574 to 1575....
(1598 to 1607) - Pietro VidoniPietro VidoniPietro Vidoni was an Italian cardinal and between 1652–1660 a papal legate and nuncio to Poland.-Personal life:...
(May 28, 1652-April 5, 1660) - Antonio del RastrelloPope Innocent XIIPope Innocent XII , born Antonio Pignatelli, was Pope from 1691 to 1700.-Biography:He was born in Spinazzola to one of the most aristocratic families of the Kingdom of Naples, which included many Viceroys, and ministers to the crown, and was educated at the Jesuit college in Rome.In his twentieth...
, future Pope Innocent XII (May 21, 1660-March 1668) - Galeazzo Marescotti (March 10, 1668-August 13, 1670)
- Francesco Nerli (June 27, 1670-December 22, 1670)
- Angelo Maria Ranuzzi (May 13, 1671-1675)
- Francesco Buonvisi (July 20, 1673-July 28, 1675)
- Francesco MartelliFrancesco MartelliFrancesco Martelli was an Italian Roman Catholic Cardinal.-Biography:Martelli was born in Florence of a patrician family....
(September 20, 1675-?) - Opizio Pallavicini (September 30, 1680-September 2, 1686)
- Giacomo Cantelmi (October 23, 1688-1689)
- Andrea Santacroce (January 7, 1690-?)
- Gianantonio Davia (February 2, 1696-March 10, 1698)
- Michelangelo ContiPope Innocent XIIIPope Innocent XIII was pope from 1721 until his death.He was born Michelangelo Conti in Poli, near Rome. Like Pope Innocent III , Pope Gregory IX and Pope Alexander IV , he was a member of the family of the Conti, counts and dukes of Segni...
, future Pope Innocent XIII (March 24, 1698-?) - Francesco PignatelliFrancesco PignatelliFrancesco Pignatelli was an Italian cardinal.He entered the order of Theatines in 1665. On September 27, 1684 he was elected archbishop of Taranto. On February 19, 1703 he was transferred to the metropolitan see of Naples and occupied it until his death. Apostolic nuncio in Poland 1700-03...
(March 20, 1700-February 19, 1703) - Orazio Filippo Spada (November 17, 1703-December 15, 1704)
- Giulio Piazza (July 15, 1706-December 15, 1709)
- Nicolò Spinola (September 6, 1707-circa 1715)
- Vincenzo Bichi (September 14, 1709-circa 1712)
- Benedetto Odescalchi-Erba (January 25, 1712-October 5, 1712)
- Girolamo Grimaldi (December 20, 1712-1719/20)
- Alberico ArchintoAlberico ArchintoAlberico Archinto — was an Italian cardinal and papal diplomat.He entered the Roman Curia in 1724. Twelve years later he was ordained to the priesthood, and on November 1, 1739 received episcopal consecration as titular archbishop of Nicea...
(1746-1754) - Giovanni Andrea ArchettiGiovanni Andrea ArchettiGiovanni Andrea Archetti was an Italian Roman Catholic CardinalBorn in Brescia, Lombardy, Archetti studied canon and civil law in La Sapienza University of Rome. He was ordained priest on September 10, 1775, elected titular archbishop of Chalcedon on the next day, and named Apostolic nuncio in...
(September 18, 1775-?) - Lorenzo LittaLorenzo LittaLorenzo Litta was an Italian littérateur and churchman, who became a Cardinal.-Biography:Litta was born in Milan....
(1793-?) - Angelo Maria DuriniAngelo Maria DuriniAngelo Maria Durini was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman-Catholic Church.Durini was born in Milan. After studying in Rome and receiving the grade of a doctor, he worked in the papal nunciature in Paris. He was part of the Roman Curia and nuncio in Poland. From 1774 to 1776 Durini lived in Avignon...
(ante 1795)
To the Second Republic
- Achille RattiPope Pius XIPope Pius XI , born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti, was Pope from 6 February 1922, and sovereign of Vatican City from its creation as an independent state on 11 February 1929 until his death on 10 February 1939...
, future Pope Pius XI (July 3, 1919-June 13, 1921) - Lorenzo Lauri (May 25, 1921-December 20, 1926)
- Francesco MarmaggiFrancesco MarmaggiFrancesco Marmaggi was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Prefect of the Congregation of the Council and, earlier, as Nuncio in Romania, Czechoslovakia and Poland, as well as being a special envoy to Turkey.-Biography:Francesco Marmaggi was born in Rome at a time when the...
(February 13, 1928-December 16, 1935) - Filippo CortesiFilippo CortesiFilippo Cortesi was the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland from December 24, 1936 to February 1, 1947. Cortesi earlier served as nuncio to Paraguay in the interim. Cortesi was the only nuncio to Poland never to become a cardinal....
(December 24, 1936-February 1, 1947)- Cesare OrsenigoCesare OrsenigoCesare Vincenzo Orsenigo was Apostolic Nuncio to Germany from 1930 to 1945, during the rise of Nazi Germany and World War II...
, nuncio to Germany, had his authority formally extended to Poland on November 1, 1939 due to the exile of Cortesi. - Alfredo PaciniAlfredo PaciniAlfredo Pacini was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Nuncio to Switzerland from 1960 to 1967, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1967.- Biography :...
, chargé d'affairesChargé d'affairesIn diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
to the Polish government-in-exile in Paris until 1940 - William Godfrey, chargé d'affaires to the government-in-exile in London from 1940
- Cesare Orsenigo
Delegation Chiefs to the People's Republic of Poland
The Polish Provisional Government declared the Concordat of 1925Concordat of 1925
The 1925 concordat between the Holy See and the Second Polish Republic had 27 articles, which guaranteed the freedom of the Church and the faithful...
null and void in 1945 due to what they perceived as its wartime abrogation
Reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II
The reorganization of occupied dioceses during World War II was an issue faced by Pope Pius XII of whether to extend the apostolic authority of Catholic bishops from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy to German-occupied Europe during World War II....
. No Apostolic Nuncio was appointed between 1947 and 1989. Two Delegation Chiefs partially filled this role:
- Luigi PoggiLuigi PoggiLuigi Poggi was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:Born in Piacenza, Poggi did all his studies prior to priestly ordination in that city and was sent to Rome in 1944 primarily to study diplomacy at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy...
(7 February 1975-19 April 1986) - Francesco ColasuonnoFrancesco ColasuonnoFrancesco Colasuonno was an Italian Catholic Cardinal, Archbishop and Papal Nuncio.-References:...
(9 April 1986-15 March-1990)
To the Third Republic (modern Poland)
- Józef KowalczykJózef KowalczykJózef Kowalczyk is a Polish Roman Catholic clergyman, canon lawyer and diplomat who serves as the archbishop of Gniezno and primate of Poland. Previously, from 1989 to 2010, he served as the first apostolic nuncio to Poland since World War II....
(26 August 1989-8 May 2010) - Celestino MiglioreCelestino MiglioreCelestino Migliore is an Italian Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church who currently serves as the Apostolic Nuncio to Poland. He had previously served as...
(30 June 2010 - )