Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli Appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia
New Delhi 13 March 2026 (CCBI): The Holy Father Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli (73) until now Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, as Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia. The appointment was made public on 13 March 2026. Archbishop Girelli had been serving the Church in India since 13 March 2021.
Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli was born in Predore (Bergamo), Italy, on 13 March 1953. He was ordained a priest on 17 June 1978 and holds a Doctorate in Theology. He entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See on 13 July 1987.
During his diplomatic service he worked in the Apostolic Nunciatures in Cameroon and New Zealand, and later in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See. He also served at the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States.
On 13 April 2006 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia and, on 10 October 2006, Apostolic Nuncio to East Timor. On 13 January 2011 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia and Brunei, and non-resident Pontifical Representative to Vietnam.
On 13 September 2017 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine. Two days later, on 15 September 2017, he was also appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Cyprus.
On 13 March 2021 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to India, where he served until his new appointment to Croatia on 13 March 2026. He speaks Italian, English and French.
Croatia, located in Central and Southeast Europe, has 17 Catholic dioceses and one Eastern Catholic jurisdiction, the Eparchy of Križevci, which belongs to the Byzantine-Slavonic tradition of the Catholic Church.