Archbishop Giorgio Lingua, until now Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia, is becoming the new Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine. The Holy See Press Office announced the change on January 22, 2026.
The Italian papal diplomat is taking over after his predecessor's renunciation due to age. He faces significant challenges in the context of the war in Gaza.
Pope Leo XIV has chosen an experienced Italian archbishop, who was apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Cuba, to succeed Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, a Filipino archbishop who passed the age limit of 75 on February 6, 2023, and whose resignation was accepted today.
Born on March 23, 1960, Giorgio Lingua was ordained a priest in 1984 for the Diocese of Fossano, in Piedmont, northeastern Italy. Trained starting in 1988 at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he entered the service of papal diplomacy on July 1, 1992. He has worked for the nunciatures in Ivory Coast, the United States, Italy, and Serbia.
Extensive experience in sensitive situations
In September 2010, Benedict XVI promoted him to the episcopate, entrusting him with the particularly sensitive role of apostolic nuncio to Iraq and Jordan. His five years of service were marked in particular by the ISIS offensive on Mosul and the Nineveh Plains in 2014, which drove thousands of Christians into exile.
In March 2015, Pope Francis appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Cuba. In this capacity, Archbishop Lingua was one of the key figures in the Argentine pontiff's momentous and historical trip to the island in September 2015, which preceded his visit to the United States.
With the support of the Holy See, the regime then led by Raul Castro undertook an unprecedented rapprochement with the United States. It reestablished diplomatic relations with the Obama administration after several decades of rupture between Washington and Havana.
Archbishop Giorgio Lingua then became apostolic nuncio to Croatia in 2019. This former Yugoslavian country, marked by a strong Catholic identity, has been the subject of particular attention from the Holy See since its independence was achieved in the context of the war of the 1990s.
Challenges in the Holy Land
With his transfer to the Holy Land, the 66-year-old Italian archbishop will have to work to strengthen ties between the Holy See and the birthplace of Christ. The situation is complicated by the war in Gaza and the abuses of Israeli settlers in the West Bank. The Christian village of Taybeh has been particularly affected by violence and intimidation in recent months.
The Holy See supports the principle of a two-state solution, but for the time being it maintains a single representative accredited to both Israel and Palestine.
A project for an ecumenical celebration of the 2033 Jubilee in Jerusalem was announced by Leo XIV on the sidelines of the commemoration of the Council of Nicaea last November. This long-term goal could be an important project for the new representative of the Holy See, who would then be called upon to organize a visit by the pontiff to the site.
To date, four popes have visited the Holy Land: Paul VI in 1964, John Paul II in 2000, Benedict XVI in 2009, and Francis in 2014.
Archbishop Lingua will work side by side with the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Custos of the Holy Land, Fr. Francesco Ielpo, both Italians as well. Both have significant moral authority (personal or institutional) and key roles in the region.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem is the diocese that covers Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine, and the current Patriarch is highly respected; he was considered a likely candidate in the 2025 conclave that elected Leo XIV.
The Custody of the Holy Land is the Franciscan province that covers the Holy Places in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and the islands of Cyprus and Rhodes. It has been in charge of practical and pastoral aspects of the sacred sites since the 13th century.
