Monsignor Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, titular archbishop of Roselle, has served as apostolic nuncio in the Islamic Republic
Archbishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis. (Photo supplied)
Church leaders in Pakistan have welcomed the appointment of a 54-year-old Lebanese archbishop by Pope Francis as the first apostolic nuncio to the United Arab Emirates.
The Vatican announced the appointment of Monsignor Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis, titular archbishop of Roselle, on Jan. 3.
Archbishop El-Kassis has been serving as nuncio in Pakistan since November 2019 and is expected to reach Abu Dhabi next month.
Archbishop Joseph Arshad, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, said the transfer is a great honor for Archbishop El-Kassis.
“This is a good beginning, a very positive sign”
“Finally the nunciature is being upgraded to ambassador level. It will further cement diplomatic relations and improve understanding between the Holy See and the United Arab Emirates. This is a good beginning, a very positive sign for the New Year,” he told UCA News.
The archbishop of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi diocese lauded Archbishop El-Kassis for playing “a good role” in leading the mission in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
“He is a friendly person and established good relationships with the government and the Church. He visited many parishes and institutions. It was an encouraging sign for the local Church. I hope the Christian community of the UAE, most of them foreigners, will be supported likewise. Already several churches have been built in UAE which has shown a great interest in improving interfaith efforts between Christians and Muslims and bring closeness among religions, especially the Vatican,” Archbishop Arshad said.
Archbishop El-Kassis holds a doctorate in both Civil and Canon Law. He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 2000 and in the following years until 2019, he was assigned as the apostolic nunciatures to Indonesia, Sudan, Turkey, and also served in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See. He speaks Arabic, English, Italian, French, Indonesian, German and Spanish.
The apostolic nunciature in Abu Dhabi was inaugurated by Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, substitute secretary for general affairs in the Vatican Secretariat of State in February 2022.
The opening of the nunciature coincided with the third anniversary of the day that Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmad el-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar in Egypt, signed a document on promoting dialogue and “human fraternity” during the pope’s 2019 apostolic visit to the United Arab Emirates.
The Holy See and the United Arab Emirates established diplomatic relations in 2007, but the nuncio resided in Kuwait. Currently, the nunciature is headed by Slovenian Monsignor Kryspin Dubiel, who serves as chargé d’affaires.
An apostolic nuncio, otherwise known as a papal nuncio or simply a nuncio, is the representative of the pope and the Vatican to a state or to an international organization like the United Nations, and plays a significant role in selecting and appointing new bishops as well as disciplining erring clergymen.
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