Leopoldo Girelli
Encyclopedia
Leopoldo Girelli is the current Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Apostolic Delegate to Brunei Darussalam and Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia. He had previously served as Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia and Apostolic Nuncio to Timor-Leste.
Girelli was born in Predore, Province of Bergamo in 1953. He was ordained
a priest on 17 June 1978 and incardinated in the diocese of Bergamo
. He graduated in Theology. He entered the Holy See's Diplomatic Corps after studying at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
.
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.
On 13 April 2006 Pope Benedict XVI
appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia
and Titular Archbishop of Capreae. He was ordained bishop on 17 June, with Cardinal Angelo Sodano
as principal consecrator. On 10 Ocotber 2006 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Timor-Leste in addition to his duties as Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia.
On 13 January 2011 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia and to Brunei Darussalam, and the first non-residential pontifical representative for Vietnam. Archbishop Girelli is the first papal representative to be appointed to Vietnam since the two countries broke off relations in the 1975 after the occupation of Saigon, when the Vatican delegate was forced go to Hanoi. Although a "representative" is not a nuncio and there are no full diplomatic relations, once again there is a papal representative in Vietnam.
On 18 June 2011 he was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN). Archbishop Girelli was appointed full Nuncio to Malaysia when the Holy See and that nation established full diplomatic relations on 27 July 2011.
Girelli was born in Predore, Province of Bergamo in 1953. He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
a priest on 17 June 1978 and incardinated in the diocese of Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
. He graduated in Theology. He entered the Holy See's Diplomatic Corps after studying at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy
The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy is one of the Roman Colleges of the Roman Catholic Church. The academy is dedicated to training priests to serve in the diplomatic corps and the Secretariat of State of the Holy See....
.
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
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
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.
On 13 April 2006 Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Titular Archbishop of Capreae. He was ordained bishop on 17 June, with Cardinal Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano
Angelo Sodano is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican Secretary of State, having held that post from 1990 to 2006, under both popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI...
as principal consecrator. On 10 Ocotber 2006 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Timor-Leste in addition to his duties as Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia.
On 13 January 2011 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia and to Brunei Darussalam, and the first non-residential pontifical representative for Vietnam. Archbishop Girelli is the first papal representative to be appointed to Vietnam since the two countries broke off relations in the 1975 after the occupation of Saigon, when the Vatican delegate was forced go to Hanoi. Although a "representative" is not a nuncio and there are no full diplomatic relations, once again there is a papal representative in Vietnam.
On 18 June 2011 he was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly abbreviated ASEAN rarely ), is a geo-political and economic organization of ten countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has...
(ASEAN). Archbishop Girelli was appointed full Nuncio to Malaysia when the Holy See and that nation established full diplomatic relations on 27 July 2011.