Pope Francis has named Archbishop Luciano Russo as the Secretary of Pontifical Representations.

The Vatican’s Secretariat of State has three sections: the Section for General Affairs, under the direction of the Substitute; the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations; and the Section for Diplomatic Personnel of the Holy See, under the direction of the Secretary for Pontifical Representations, assisted by an Undersecretary.

“The Section for Diplomatic Personnel of the Holy See deals with questions concerning persons who serve in the diplomatic service of the Holy See, and in particular their living and working conditions and their ongoing formation,” according to Praedicate Evangelium, the Pope’s apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia.

Archbishop Russo was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Averso, Italy, in 1988. He has served as apostolic nuncio to Rwanda (2012-16), Algeria and Tunisia (2016-20), Panama (2020-21), and Uruguay (2021-22).

Archbishop Russo, 59, succeeds Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawlowski, 61, who has not been given a new position.