Pope's envoy to India on a two-day visit to Diocese
Jalandhar, June 10
Pope’s envoy to India Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli is on a two-day pastoral visit to the Diocese of Jalandhar. This is his first visit to Jalandhar Diocese since he assumed office as Nuncio to India and Nepal last year.
He was accorded a warm welcome at Sahnewal by Apostolic Administrator of Diocese Bishop Agnelo Gracias along with the priests and religious laity of the area. He reached the Diocesan headquarters at Civil Lines Friday evening. During his visit, the Archbishop is expected to preside over the prayers at the Sacred Heart Church in the city and St Mary’s Cathedral in Jalandhar Cantonment. He will also visit Trinity College campus and St Pius Church Lamma Pind. He will also hold meetings with the priests of the Diocese. The purpose of the visit of the Vatical Ambassador is to foster Pope Francis’s idea of unity and fraternity among communities.
On his way to Delhi, he will also make a brief stopover at BRS Nagar in Ludhiana. Archbishop Girelli hails from the province Bergamo in Italy. He has worked in the papal diplomatic missions in Cameroon and New Zealand and at the section for general affairs of Vatican Secretariat of State, and in the Apostolic Nunciature to the US where he held the rank of counsellor. He served as the Apostolic Nuncio to various countries before Pope Francis appointed him Nuncio to India in March 2021 and to Nepal on September 2021.
