Polish archbishop appointed Vatican representative in Vietnam

Zalewski, 60, is expected to arrive in Vietnam at the end of January, Archbishop Nguyen Nang, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam, said Saturday.

Archbishop Marek Zalewski. Photo courtesy of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam

Zalewski studied philosophy at the major seminary in Łomża in Poland and theology at the metropolitan seminary in Florence, Italy. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Łomża in 1989.

He worked as a parish priest in Florence for two years and then completed his doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1995 while also attending diplomatic courses at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

In 2014 he was appointed titular archbishop of Africa and apostolic nuncio to Zimbabwe.

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong visited Vatican last July and the two sides agreed on the working regulations of the Holy See’s Resident Representative and accompanying office in Vietnam.

The Vietnam Catholic Church consists of two cardinals, six archbishops, and more than 8,000 priests. There are more than 7.2 million Catholic followers in the country, nearly 8% of the population.