His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Monsignor Julio Murat, as the new Apostolic Nuncio (Vatican Ambassador) for Malawi. According to the press statement from the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), the appointment is with effect from 6 June 2012.
Monsignor Nicola Girasoli: the outgoing Apostolic Nuncio
The statement further says that new Apostolic Nuncio will continue to stay in Lusaka and that the ordinary administration of the Apostolic Nunciature-Vatican Embassy in Lilongwe will remain with the Chargè d’Affaires Monsignor Bert van Megen.
Monsignor Murat replaces Monsignor Nicola Girasoli who finished his tour of duty in January 2012.
Msgr. Julio Murat was born on 18 August 1961 in Karsiyaka – Turkey. He was ordained priest on 25 May 1986. He holds a Doctorate in Canon Law. He entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See on the 1st January 1994.
He was posted to the Apostolic Nunciatures-Vatican Embassies in Indonesia, Pakistan, Byelorussia, and Austria and from 21 November 2002 he was official at the Vatican Secretariat of State in the section for the reports with the state. He Msgr. Murat was ordained Archbishop on 3 March 2012. He knows Italian, French and English.