Parolin Pietro

Pietro Parolin was born on 17 January 1955 in Schiavon, Vicenza. Raised in a simple and deeply Catholic family, the tragic loss of his father in 1965 marked his childhood. At the age of 14, he entered the seminary in Vicenza. He was ordained a priest on 27 April 1980. After two years as vice-parish priest in Schio, he moved to Rome to study. He attended the Pontifical Gregorian University and entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1983. He graduated in Canon Law at the Gregorian in 1986. Entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 1986. He served in the Pontifical Representations in Nigeria (until 1989) and Mexico (1989 to 1992). He then worked in the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, collaborating on issues related to the Concordat and participating in missions, such as to Rwanda in 1993 and the UN in 1997. On 30 November 2002, John Paul II appointed him Undersecretary of the Section for Relations with States. For almost seven years he spoke at international fora, testifying to the Holy See’s concern for peace, human rights and development. An expert on the Middle East and Asia, he works to strengthen relations with Vietnam and relaunch Israeli-Palestinian dialogue. On 17 August 2009, Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop and Apostolic Nuncio in Venezuela. In Caracas, where he arrived in November 2009, he worked to re-establish a climate of respect and collaboration between government and Church, working on social justice, poverty and delinquency. On 31 August 2013, Pope Francis appointed him his Secretary of State. He arrived at the Vatican on 16 November 2013 and began his mission on the 18th. He met the ambassadors for the first time on 13 December 2013. He has been participating in the work of the Council of Cardinals since December 2013, becoming a full member since July 2014. Pope Francis creates and publishes him Cardinal in the Consistory of 22 February 2014. On 26 June 2018, he is co-opted into the Order of Bishops. On 7 March 2023, he is appointed a member of the new Council of Cardinals. He is a Member: of the Dicasteries: for the Doctrine of the Faith; for Bishops; for the Oriental Churches; for Evangelisation; for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; of the Council of Cardinals