VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI named a new Vatican representative to the United Nations in New York, an Indian who has worked in the Vatican diplomatic service on five continents.
Archbishop Francis Chullikatt, 57, was named to the post July 17. He has served in the Vatican’s diplomatic corps since 1988, including postings in Iraq, Jordan, Honduras, South Africa and the Philippines.
From 1999 to 2004, he worked as counselor in the Vatican’s delegation at the United Nations in New York. He then worked in the Vatican Secretariat of State’s section for diplomatic affairs until the pope named him apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan in 2006.
Archbishop Chullikatt was born in Bolghatty, India, March 20, 1953. In 1978 he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Verapoly in Cochin, India. He has a degree in canon law and speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish.
He replaces Archbishop Celestino Migliore as the new nuncio to the United Nations. Archbishop Migliore had been the Vatican representative to the United Nations in New York since 2002 and in June was named papal nuncio to Poland.