The Tribune

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell welcomed the Most Reverend Nicola Girasoli, Apostolic Nuncio (Designate) of the Holy See during a courtesy call at the Ministry yesterday.

The Holy See is the universal government of the Catholic Church and operates from the Vatican City State, a sovereign independent territory. The Pope serves as head of both.

Talks focused on human rights issues, the poor, promotion of strong family values, education and the relationship between the Bahamas and the Vatican.

On July 5, 1960, the Bahamas was raised to a Diocese.

Then in 1999, the Diocese of Nassau was elevated to an Archdiocese whose province includes the Diocese of Hamilton, Bermuda and the Mission of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

In 2003, Patrick Christopher Pinder was ordained the first Bahamian Bishop and the following year he was installed as Archbishop of Nassau.

Archbishop Girasoli will also present his credentials in a ceremony at Government House today, and pay courtesy calls on Prime Minister Perry Christie and other high ranking officials.

Archbishop Girasoli was born on July 21, 1957 at Ruvo di Puglia in the Province of Bari, Italy. He was ordained a priest on June 15, 1980 with incardination in the diocese of Ruvo di Puglia and has been in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since May 10, 1985.

The archbishop has served in Hungary, Belgium, the United States and Argentina. He possesses a Doctorate in Canon Law and speaks English, French and Spanish in addition to his mother tongue, Italian.