Archbishop Luigi Bianco, originally from Montemagno, Italy, has been appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Slovenia and Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo by the newly elected Pope Leo XIV. Prior to this assignment, Monsignor Bianco served as Apostolic Nuncio in Uganda.
This appointment follows a precedent set in 2011, when Pope Benedict XVI appointed Monsignor Juliusz Janusz as the first Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo while also serving as Nuncio to Slovenia. At the time, the Holy See’s Press Office clarified the nature of such a role, emphasizing its strictly internal ecclesiastical purpose.
“The appointment of an Apostolic Delegate falls under the organization of the Catholic Church’s structure and, therefore, has a purely ecclesiastical character, remaining entirely separate from any legal or territorial considerations, or from any matters related to the diplomatic activity of the Holy See,” the Vatican stated.
The Apostolic Delegate’s mission is not diplomatic, but rather pastoral, aimed at serving the spiritual and organizational needs of the Catholic faithful in the region.
This announcement comes shortly after the election of Pope Leo XIV, marking one of his first significant appointments.
