By Lalita Roshni Lakra
New Delhi: Newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli arrived in New Delhi in early morning on May 28.
He was received at the airport by Archbishops Anil Couto of Delhi and Kuriakose Bharanikulangara of Faridabad along with Vatican embassy officials, says a message from Father Jervis D’Souza, deputy secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCI) who was also a member of the team.
The nuncio arrived 30 minutes past midnight, Father D’Souza told Matters India. He said only a few delegates went to the airport to receive the nuncio because of Covid protocol. The found the nuncio tired because of the long flight.
The nuncio has to follow the Covid protocol and observe the quarantine period, the CBCI official said.
“The whole Catholic Church and CBCI are happy on the nuncio’s arrival. He is a friendly person,” Father D’Souza said.
The nuncio will begin his charge once he is settled and complete his quarantine time at nunciature, he added.
Archbishop Girelli, an Italian, was appointed by Pope Francis on March 13 as his representative in India.
Archbishop Girelli was the nuncio to Israel and Cyprus and apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine at the time of his appointment to India.
He succeeded Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro, another Italian who was transferred to Brazil, South America, in August 2020.
The new nuncio has arrived at a time when India reels under the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 318,000 people in the country.
Archbishop Girelli was born in Predore (Bergamo), Italy, on March 13, 1953. He was ordained a priest on June 17, 1978. He speaks Italian, English and French.
With a doctorate in Theology, he entered the Vatican Diplomatic Service on July 13, 1987. To prepare for the diplomatic service, he completed the course of study at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1984.
He served nunciatures in Cameroon and in New Zealand, in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, and in the nunciature in the United States of America.
On April 13, 2006, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia and, on October 10, 2006, to East Timor. On January 13, 2011, he was appointed nuncio to Singapore, apostolic delegate to Malaysia and to Brunei, and non-residential Pontifical Representative for Vietnam.
On September 13, 2017, he became the nuncio to Israel and apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine. Two days later, he was appointed nuncio to Cyprus.
No. 13 seems to be his lucky and favourite number.