ZAMBIA: New Nuncio Salutes Warm Welcome to Zambia
His excellency Gian Luca Perici. Credit Courtesy photo
Fr. Winfield Kunda
New Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi Archbishop H.E Gian Luca Perici has expressed his joy after arriving in Zambia to begin his ministry as Pope Francis’ representative.
Archbishop Perici arrived in Zambia on Tuesday 12th September 2023 at mid-day via Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka and was received by Most Rev. Ignatius Chama Archbishop of Kasama and President of Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB), Most Rev. Telesphore George Mpundu the Archbishop Emeritus of Lusaka) Rt. Rev. Clement Mulenga SDB the Bishop of Kabwe, the ZCCB Secretary General Rev. Fr. Francis Mukosa, some priests, Religious men and women and scores of lay faithful.
Speaking at the Nunciature in Lusaka, Archbishop Perici said he was pleased with the thunderous welcome accorded to him.
“I would like to thank each and every one of you for your presence here. It is my first time to be welcomed in this manner. I have worked before as Secretary in the Nunciature, but this is my first time to be appointed as Nuncio,” he said.
“I hope that this is not the last time we are meeting, and you are always welcome in this house, it is your house, the house of the Holy Father (Pope). And we all know how Pope Francis is; he is a man who welcomes everyone, and his wish is to see that all the Nunciatures worldwide operate in the same manner, to be open to everyone and I would like to be obedient to Pope Francis. To put into practice his words and Church’s magisterium,” Archbishop Perici said.
And speaking earlier at the airport, ZCCB President and Kasama Archdiocese Archbishop Ignatius Chama says that it is gratifying to have the Nuncio in Zambia who will be the Pope’s representative.
“We now have the Pope’s representative here in Zambia and that when we see him see the Holy Father being represented here”, Archbishop Chama said.
And Archbishop Emeritus Telesphore George Mpundu has hailed the arrival of new Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi Archbishop Gian Luca Perici.
“This is a special moment. It is not every day we receive the Nuncio, the Holy Father’s personal representative, so when it happens it is a time for joy, rejoicing, jubilation,” Archbishop Mpundu said. Archbishop Mpundu added that this is the time of rejoicing.
“We rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice. For those who are around it is a grace from God. And we say to the Christian community, rejoice we are a priestly people,” Archbishop Mpundu said.
The Holy Father Pope Francis appointed Gian Luca Perici as the Apostolic Nuncio to Zambia and Malawi on June 5, 2023 to replace Archbishop Gianfranco Gallone who was redeployed to Uruguay in the same capacity at the start of 2023.
Born in 1964, Italy, Archbishop Perici was ordained priest in 1991 and holds a Doctorate in Canon Law.
His Excellency Archbishop Perici joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1st July, 2001 and has since served in the Apostolic nunciature in Mexico, Haiti, Malta, Angola, Brazil, Sweden, Spain and Portugal.
Pope Paul IV opened the Nunciature in Zambia on 27th October, 1965 with Archbishop Alfredo Poledrini being the first Apostolic Nuncio. Since 1965, Zambia has had 9 Apostolic Nuncios who also serve as Vatican ambassadors for Malawi and Zambia.
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