Pietro Parolin, Author at Appia Institute

About Pietro Parolin

Pietro Parolin began working in the diplomatic service of the Holy See on July 1, 1986, serving first in the papal representations in Nigeria until 1989, then in Mexico from 1989 to 1992, and then in the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, where he worked until 2002. On November 30, 2002, John Paul II appointed him undersecretary of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State, a position he held for almost seven years. In this capacity, he participated in various international forums, bearing witness in particular to the Holy See's concern for issues of peace and the fundamental rights of the human person, with a special focus on problems of global economic and social development. On August 31, 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Secretary of State. Particularly knowledgeable on issues concerning the Middle East and, more generally, the geopolitical reality of the Asian continent, he has been working in particular to weave and strengthen relations between the Holy See and Asian countries— above all first Vietnam and then China.

Geopolitics for the Weak

Pietro Parolin - 27 April 2026

In a world of grand schemes, the Church cries: respect is not merely correctness, it is a demanding form of charity, expressed in caring for the other without possessing them, in accompanying without dominating, in serving without humiliating. (Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s introductory speech for the Conference of the Italian Bishops) To His Most Reverend Eminence […]

Peace and Justice in the Holy See’s Diplomatic Action in the Face of New Challenges

Pietro Parolin - 20 January 2026

Lecture by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, who urges international diplomacy to find new paths to justice and peace within a rapidly changing geopolitical context. Towards the construction of a new world order that guarantees stability for peoples and countries, renewing the effectiveness of international law in the face of […]

Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Diplomacy

Pietro Parolin - 21 May 2025

By: Cardinal Pietro Parolin Speech delivered by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, at the Reception at the United Nations – New York (May 19th 2025), on the Occasion of the Election of His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. Excellencies, distinguished ambassadors, ladies and gentlemen,It is a pleasure to address you today, as we gather […]