The primary task of the diplomatic personnel of the Holy See is to promote and foster peace, always and everywhere supporting and encouraging the path of dialogue for resolving difficulties and disputes

His Excellency Msgr. Luciano Suriani presented his letters of credence as the representative of the Holy See in our country on 10 October 2022. A papal diplomat with rich experience, he quickly won the hearts of Bulgarians. They value, respect, and esteem him—for his benevolent smile in dialogue, his dignified conduct at diplomatic meetings, and for his compassionate heart that beats for peace and mutual understanding.

Before arriving in Bulgaria, he had already fulfilled the mission of Apostolic Nuncio in a country with an Orthodox tradition – Serbia - an experience that proved extremely valuable. Upon his appointment in Sofia, H. E. Msgr. Luciano Suriani addressed a letter to the Catholic bishops, in which he shared that his thoughts immediately turned to Msgr. Angelo Roncalli, later Pope John XXIII, who exercised his ministry in Bulgaria as papal representative for nearly ten years. "To this saint, our contemporary, I immediately entrusted my future ecclesial service in this country." E. Msgr. Luciano Suriani was born in Atessa, Italy, on 11 January 1957. He completed studies in theology and philosophy at the seminary in Chieti and was ordained a priest in 1981. In 1986 he was admitted to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, and in 1990 he earned a doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical Lateran University.

He subsequently entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See, serving in the Apostolic Nunciatures in Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Niger, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. After nine years of work in the Secretariat of State as secretary to the then "Minister of Foreign Affairs," the late Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, he served for four years at the Apostolic Nunciature in Italy. On 22 February 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Bolivia and Titular Archbishop of Amiternum. On 26 April of the same year, he received episcopal ordination through the laying on of hands by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State. For health reasons he returned to Italy and in September 2009 was appointed Delegate for Pontifical Representations. On 7 December 2015, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Serbia.

On 13 May 2022 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Bulgaria. On 21 May 2022 he was also entrusted with North Macedonia. He carries out both missions from his seat in Sofia.

– Your Excellency, on 7 January in Plovdiv, in your capacity as representative of the Holy Father in Bulgaria, you officially announced the name of the new Bishop of the Sofia-Plovdiv Diocese - Msgr. Rumen Ivanov Stanev. What is the meaning of this important and deeply engaging event for the life of Catholics in our country?

– For the life of a diocesan community, the appointment of a new shepherd is a special and important moment. In the case of the new Bishop of the Sofia-Plovdiv Diocese, it concerns an event that had not occurred for 37 years - a period during which the diocese was led by His Excellency Msgr. Georgi Ivanov Yovchev. The announcement was made in the context of a gathering for prayer, which also became an occasion to thank God, to express gratitude to the Bishop Emeritus, and to extend good wishes to the new shepherd - Msgr. Rumen. It is clear that the change of bishop brings with it both continuity and renewal in the life of a Church community. In Bulgaria, Catholics are a small reality, but Jesus wants His disciples to be leaven and salt - two small elements with significant impact: leaven raises a large amount of flour, and salt gives flavor, though it consists of tiny grains.

– You are one of the 99 Apostolic Nuncios in the world. Considering the strength and influence of the Catholic Church, this is truly a great honor. How are Apostolic Nuncios selected? And what is the picture of papal diplomacy today - in numbers?

– The diplomatic corps of the Holy See has a distinctive characteristic: it is composed of priests of different nationalities. The Holy See has its own academy that prepares diplomatic personnel, founded in 1701. The training lasts on average four years, and the number of priests being trained at the academy is around thirty. It is precisely the Secretariat of State of the Vatican that asks bishops to propose a priest who already has pastoral experience and who can undertake the necessary preparation to later carry out diplomatic service.

Today the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with 184 states, to which are added several international organizations. The diplomatic missions of the Holy See number 120 and are spread throughout the world. The entire diplomatic corps - that is, Apostolic Nuncios and diplomatic collaborators - numbers about 300 people. This figure may seem large at first glance, but in reality, it is quite limited, since it must ensure the presence of at least two representatives in each of the 120 diplomatic missions, as well as in the three sections of the Secretariat of State.

– What are your tasks today at a time when humanity is torn by wars and conflicts?

– The primary task of the diplomatic personnel of the Holy See is to promote and foster peace, always and everywhere supporting and encouraging the path of dialogue for resolving difficulties and disputes. On various occasions, Apostolic Nuncios have been called upon to serve as mediators to overcome conflicts and divisions and to encourage the restoration of peace. Well known is the appeal of Pope Pius XII from August 1939, shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War: "Nothing is lost with peace; everything may be lost with war." The Popes, up to the present Leo XIV, have always made heartfelt appeals to those in power to seek peace through reason, dialogue, and negotiation. Nuncios, as their representatives, convey these appeals and messages to the leaders of the countries where they carry out their mission.

– On 7 January of this year, the new Pope Leo XIV opened an extraordinary consistory, and in his address outlined the mission of the Church: to reflect the light of Christ, who attracts not through force or strategies, but through love, communion, and a synodal style of governance. How should we interpret his words, given that the future governance of the Church will be discussed there?

– Since the cardinals are called to cooperate with the Pope in the governance of the Universal Church, the consistory is an experience of communion, exchange of opinions, and sharing of ideas on topics of particular interest that closely affect the life of the Church and its influence on the social fabric of the countries where there is a Catholic community. Despite inevitable limitations, insofar as it is a divine and human reality, the Church is called to be in the world a reflection of the light of Jesus Christ, who said: I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. For this reason, the Church seeks to bring the message of the Gospel into the most diverse realities, cultures, and societies, above all through witness, and when necessary, also through words.

– In your view, how can religions contribute to peace and mutual understanding?

– Since we all carry within us a natural need for spirituality that deeply touches our conscience, religions, despite their diversity, cannot but encourage, build, and defend peace. Peace is a gift from God; therefore, we must ask for it in prayer from the One who alone can give us true peace. Jesus said: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. The human heart needs peace, because only peace is capable of removing the anxieties, sufferings, and worries from which so many people in the contemporary world suffer. If there is peace, it becomes possible to establish fraternal and constructive dialogue that leads to mutual knowledge and respect. It is evident that when we come to know one another, respect for the other is born and friendship blossoms. In this way, differences are no longer obstacles, but can instead become a gift and a source of mutual enrichment.

– Official diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Bulgaria date back to 1925, when Pope Pius XI sent Msgr. Angelo Roncalli to our country as Apostolic Visitor; he later became Pope John XXIII. The "Bulgarian Pope," as we call him, set very high standards for the presence of the Catholic Church in our country. Which of these standards do you follow in carrying out your mission here?

– Last year we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Msgr. Angelo Roncalli in Sofia, which took place on 25 April 1925. We also marked his anniversary with the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp. Upon arriving in Bulgaria, I was able to see the positive memories that this people preserve of Msgr. Roncalli. Then, as today, the Catholic community in the country is small in number, but I believe I can say that it strives to make its contribution to the human and spiritual development of Bulgaria and its inhabitants. I would like to highlight that it is a privilege for this country to be able each year to send to the Vatican a delegation composed of representatives of the government and the Church to meet the Pope and his closest collaborators on the occasion of the feast of Saints Cyril and Methodius. I would also like to recall the significance of two papal visits - that of John Paul II in 2002 and that of Francis in 2019. I believe that what Msgr. Roncalli experienced in Bulgaria developed in him that sensitivity and special attention toward the Orthodox world which, after he was elected Pope, he sought to transform into dialogue and an ecumenical path, finding its programmatic expression in the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio.

– In 1931 Msgr. Angelo Roncalli was appointed Apostolic Delegate to the Kingdom of Bulgaria, and an Apostolic Delegation was opened in Sofia - in the magnificent building that today houses the Apostolic Nunciature. It is steeped in history. Which moments of this history impress you the most?

– The building of the Apostolic Nunciature was purchased by Msgr. Roncalli, who lived in it for about three years. Subsequently, for more than forty years, it was used by the communist regime. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the building was returned to the Holy See in 1991. Since 1994, after about three years of renovation work, it has again become the seat of the Apostolic Nunciature in Bulgaria. The primary task of an Apostolic Nuncio is first and foremost to be close to the bishops of the country, encouraging and sustaining communion of heart and action between them and with the Successor of Peter - the Pope. In addition, he also cares for parish and religious communities. I do not hide that for me it is a source of great joy to live in the same building that was the home of John XXIII, feeling his spiritual presence and rejoicing in his heavenly protection.

– How does the dialogue with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church proceed?

– Among the tasks of a Nuncio is also that of promoting dialogue and communion with other religious communities present in the country. It is known that prior to this mission I served as Apostolic Nuncio in neighboring Serbia for more than six years. It was there that I experienced my first service in a country with an Orthodox majority and its own Patriarchate. I realized that often we fail to pay attention to each other, which leads to a lack of mutual knowledge; but when an effort is made to know the other, mutual respect is born, which helps establish heartfelt and fraternal relations. I have become convinced of the profound truth of a saying that John XXIII loved to repeat: "let us always seek what unites us, setting aside, as far as possible, what divides us." He was deeply convinced that before doctrinal or political differences, there exists our belonging to the same human family. Before every difference we have a common Baptism, which unites us, together with all the other Sacraments. From the moment I arrived in Bulgaria, I have sought to establish heartfelt and fraternal relations - first with the late Patriarch Neofit, and now with his successor Daniel. Today, more than ever, Christians are called to overcome every division by working together for the good of society.

– The Nunciature takes part in the restoration and blessing of Catholic sites such as the chapel in the Vrana Palace. What other activities and projects does the Embassy of the Holy See carry out?

– Where necessary, the Apostolic Nunciature offers its collaboration in seeking the financial support needed for the maintenance and restoration of places of worship, as well as for the continuation of pastoral activity in small communities that lack many resources. The celebration of the Holy Mass in the renovated Catholic chapel at Vrana Palace was strongly desired by Tsar Simeon II, who especially wished to honor the memory of his mother - Queen Giovanna - who was a Catholic. Since the Nunciature does not have particular funds, when it is necessary, it acts as an intermediary with those Catholic institutions present in Europe and other continents that provide financial support to small and often poor Church communities - those that would not be able to survive by their own means.

– What would you like to accomplish as an idea during your service in Bulgaria?

– I admit that living in this country for three and a half years, I have discovered its abundant riches and many beauties. It is a country of which one can say: it has everything - history, culture, traditions, sea, mountains, archaeological sites, and remarkable food and wine. I would be pleased if these riches and splendors were properly benefited from and promoted. The guests I have welcomed over these years have remained delighted upon discovering all the beauty and goodness that Bulgaria can offer its visitors. Personally, I am not in a position to carry out large-scale projects, but I would be happy to see this country develop - not only economically, but also in religious and social terms.

– How do you feel in our country - as Apostolic Nuncio and as a person?

– I’m not saying this just to please those who will read this - I am very satisfied with the experience, with the relationships, both institutional and personal, that I have managed to build, and with the good relations between the Holy See and Bulgaria, consolidated over the years. Despite the limitations that each of us must face daily, I will continue to do my part and make my contribution - in the areas I am able - to the growth of the overall well-being of all who live in this country. In conclusion, I thank you for the opportunity given me to make somewhat better known the life of the Catholic Church and the specific service that its diplomats carry out around the world.

The photograph is provided by the Embassy of the Holy See in the Republic of Bulgaria. On it: Pope Leo XIV and H. E. Msgr. Luciano Suriani, Apostolic Nuncio and Head of the Embassy of the Holy See in the Republic of Bulgaria