Vatican City, Feb 14, 2016 / 18:27 pm
Slovenia-born Archbishop Ivan Jurkovic will be the Holy See's next Permanent Observer to the United Nations in Geneva, a significant appointment given his experience in diplomacy.
Archbishop Jurkovic has served as nuncio to Russia and Uzbekistan since 2011. The announcement of his new role came on Feb. 13, just one day after Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill met in Cuba for the historic first encounter of a Pope and a Russian Patriarch.
Given Archbishop Jurkovic's diplomatic experience, some believe his appointment aims to assist in the rapprochement between the Catholic Church and Moscow. He will have several roles, including Permanent Observer to the Office of the United Nations and Specialized Agencies in Geneva and Permanent Observer to the World Trade Organization
The archbishop was born in Kocevje, Slovenia. He served as a priest in Ljubljana for 24 years before beginning his diplomatic career.