Ireland’s new Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, to present his Credential Letters

25 Apr 2008

PRESS RELEASE
25 April 2008

Ireland’s new Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, to present his Credential Letters

MONDAY 28 APRIL
Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza, Ireland’s newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio, will present his Credential Letters to President Mary McAleese at Áras an Uachtaráin at 11:00am on Monday next, 28 April 2008. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, appointed Archbishop Leanza as Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland on 22 February last.

SATURDAY 10 MAY
A Liturgical Reception for the Apostolic Nuncio, hosted by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin, will take place at Saint Mary’s Pro Cathedral, Dublin at 18.00.

Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza will be the principal celebrant and will preach the homily.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Curriculum Vitae for Archbishop Leanza:

His Excellency Archbishop Leanza, the newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, was born in Cesar (Messina), Italy, on 2 January 1943. He received his priestly ordination on 17 July 1966.

After being awarded a Doctorate in Canon Law, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1972.

Archbishop Leanza has served successively at the Pontifical Representations in Paraguay, Uganda, the United States of America, and in the Section for Relations with States at the Secretariat of State.

On 3 July 1990 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti and Titular Archbishop of Lilybaeum.

He was appointed Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi on 4 June 1991.

On 29 April 1999 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio in Bosnia Herzegovina and subsequently Apostolic Nuncio to Slovenia and the Republic of Macedonia on 15 May 2002.

Preceding his appointment to Ireland, Archbishop Leanza served as Apostolic Nuncio in Bulgaria from 22 February 2003.

Besides his native language, the newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio speaks English, French, Serbo-Croat and Spanish.

ENDS

Further information:
Martin Long, Director of Communications (086 172 7678)
Brenda Drumm, Communications Officer (087 233 7797)