The Holy See announced Monday the appointment of Italian Mons. Piero Pioppo as Apostolic Nuncio in Spain.
Mons. Pioppo has more than 30 years as a diplomat, comes from the Nunciature in Indonesia and is about to turn 65.
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He is the head of Torcello and also exercised so far diplomatic representation before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since 2018.
Born on September 29, 1960 in Savona (Italy), he was ordained a priest on June 29, 1985, and incardinated the Diocese of Acqui Terme. He is a doctor in dogmatic theology.
In July 1993, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See and has carried out his work in the apostolic nunciatures of Korea, Chile and in the section for the general affairs of the Secretary of State.
In 2006 he was appointed prelate of the Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), the known as “Vatican Bank”. In 2010 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio in Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea and Archbishop head of Torcello. He received episcopal ordination that same year.
Mons. Pioppo speaks Italian, French, English and Spanish and, among other challenges in its new destination, it will have to collaborate in the designation of prelates for the dioceses of Teruel and Albarracín, Osma-Soria and Astorga.
In addition, he will prepare the next relief of six prelates who have already presented his resignation: Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, who has been in this situation for more than four years; and the bishops Mons. José María Yanguas, from Cuenca; Mons. Sebastià Taltavull, from Mallorca; Mons. Rafael Zornoza, from Cádiz-Ceuta; Mons. José Manuel Lorca Plans, from Cartagena; and Mons. Salvador Cristau, from Terrassa.
The Spanish Episcopal College is formed by 126 prelates: 79 active bishops and 47 emeritus. Among the active bishops, 15 are as archbishops – two cardinals: Mons. Omella and Mons. Cobo – while 52 are diocesan bishops and 12 auxiliary bishops.
Nicolás de Cárdenas
Born in 1980, I am a Spanish and journalist’s husband and father with more than 20 years of experience in print and digital media, specialized in socio -political and religious information. I have worked more than 10 years in defense of human rights and I have accreditations in journalism and comprehensive communication. Since July 2022, I am a correspondent for ACI Press and Ewtn News in Spain, covering international events of the Catholic Church.