Ivan Jurkovič
| Styles of Ivan Jurkovič | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Excellency |
| Religious style | Monsignor |
| Posthumous style | not applicable |
Ivan Jurkovič (born 10 June 1952) is a Slovenian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He serves as the Nuncio to Russia and Nuncio to Uzbekistan from 19 February and 22 July 2011 respectively having been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI. On February 13, 2016 Pope Francis appointed him Nuncio to the United Nations Geneva.
Biography
Born in Kočevje, southern Slovenia, Ivan Jurkovič was ordained to the priesthood on 29 June 1977. Jurkovič obtained a theology degree from the University of Ljubljana. He was trained as diplomat in the Pontifical University and entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1984, serving as a secretary in the Pontifical Representations in South Korea. In 1988 he obtained Doctor of Canon Law degree and from 1988 to 1992 served as a financial auditor in the Pontifical Representations in Colombia.
From 1992 to 1996 he was appointed as consultant to the Apostolic Nunciature in Russia. At the same time he served as Professor of Canon Law at the St. Thomas Institute of Philosophy, Theology and History in Moscow, where he published the following books: "Marriage Law" (Moscow, 1993), "Canon Law on the People of God" (Moscow, 1993), "Latin-Russian Dictionary of Terms and Expressions of the Code of Canon Law" (with A. Koval, Moscow, 1995), "Canon Law on the People of God and Marriage" (Second edition, Moscow, 2000). Then he worked as a consultant in the OSCE.
On 28 July 2001, he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Krbava by Pope John Paul II. Jurkovič received his episcopal consecration on 6 October in Ljubljana from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, with Cardinal Franc Rode and Archbishop Edmond Y. Farhat serving as co-consecrators.
Nuncio to Belarus and Ukraine
On 28 July 2001 he was made the Holy See’s liaison with Belarus for almost three years. An appointment as Papal Nuncio to Ukraine followed on 22 April 2004.
Nuncio to Russia and Uzbekistan
Jurkovič was named Nuncio to Russia on 19 February 2011.[1] He took the place of Archbishop Antonio Mennini who was appointed as nuncio to Great Britain on 18 December 2010.[2] Archbishop Mennini dramatically improved the relations between Russia and Holy See and as a result in December 2009 President Dmitry Medvedev ordered that full diplomatic relations between the two states be established.[3]
One of the most important duties facing him will be to oversee the process of negotiation between Holy See and Russian Orthodox Church on controversial church buildings in the West Ukraine.
On 22 July 2011 Jurkovič was named Nuncio to Uzbekistan.[4]
Trivia
- Besides his native Slovenian, he can speak Italian, English, French, German, Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian.
- Archbishop Ivan Jurkovič is a Conventual Chaplain Grand Cross ad honorem of the Sovereign Military Order of Hospitalers of Saint John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta.
See also
References
- ↑ "Vatican names new ambassador to Russia". Interfax-religion.com. 2011-02-21.
- ↑ "Great Britain receives new papal delegate from Pope". Catholicnewsagency.com. 2010-12-18.
- ↑ "Holy See Sends 1st Nuncio to Russia". zenit.org. 2010-07-27.
- ↑ "Mons. Ivan Jurkovič, nuovo Nunzio Apostolico in Uzbekistan". zenit.com. 2011-07-22.
External links
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Dominik Hrušovský |
Nuncio to Belarus 2001–2004 |
Succeeded by Martin Vidovic |
| Preceded by Nikola Eterović |
Nuncio to Ukraine 2004–2011 |
Succeeded by Thomas Gullickson |
| Preceded by Antonio Mennini |
Nuncio to Uzbekistan 2011-present |
Vacant |
| Preceded by Antonio Mennini |
Nuncio to Russia 2011–2016 |
Vacant |
| Preceded by Silvano Maria Tomasi, CS |
Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in Geneva 2016–present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
