Welcome reception at the Apostolic Nunciature in Ljubljana for the new Dean of the Diplomatic Corp accredited to the Republic of Slovenia, His Excellency Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich, Archbishop titular of Sulci, Apostolic Nuncio to The Republic of Slovenia and Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo.
And farewell of H.E. Ms. Vera Zemanova, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Slovenia.
Speech of H.S.H. M.Hugo Prince of Windisch-Graetz Ambassador of the Sovereign Militari Order of Malta to Slovenia and acting Dean of the Diplomati Corp accredited to the Republic of Slovenia till the arrival of the Nuncio
Your Excellency, Dear Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich
Dear colleagues Ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Slovenia. We have gathered here today at the Apostolic Nuntiature to welcome our new Dean, His Excellency Archbishop Jean-Marie Speich, Apostolic Nuncio to the Republic of Slovenia and Apostolic Delegate to Kosovo.
I had the privilege and honour to meet with Archbishop Speich many years ago (2008) when His Excellency was serving as Head of the Francophone section of the Secretariat of State in the Holy See.
As member of the Papal Household since more then 30 years, let me tell you, Dear Ambassadors, that His Holiness Pope Francis couldn’t have chosen better by sending us such an impressive personality, in terms of spirituality, wisdom, courtesy and determination.
Let me now read some of the most important passages of his Diplomatic Service for His Holiness:
CURRICULUM VITAE
of
His Excellency Archbishop Jean-Marie SPEICH
Born: 15 June 1955 in Strasbourg, France
Parents: Antoine Xavier Speich and Marie Thérèse Goetz
Formation: 1966-74: Seminary for the Youth, Walbourg
1976-79 e 1982-84: University of Human Sciences, Strasbourg
1980-82 e 1984-86: Pontifical University Gregoriana, Rome
1984-86: Pontifical Diplomatic Academy, Rome
Graduations: 1974: High School Degree, Strasbourg
1979: Degree in Theology, Strasbourg
1982: Degree in Dogmatic Theology, Rome
1983: Degree in Canon Law, Strasbourg
1984: Master in Canon Law, Strasbourg
1986: Doctorate in Canon Law, Rome
1986: Diploma of the Pontifical Diplomatic Academy, Rome
Priesthood Ordination: 9 October 1982
Pastoral Service: 1982-84: Vicar in St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Strasbourg
Episcopal Ordination: 24 October 2013, with the Title of titular Archbishop of Sulci;
he was ordained by His Holiness Pope Francis
Diplomatic Service of the Holy See (Vatican):
1986-87: Attaché of the Apostolic Nunciature in Haïti
1987-89: 2nd Class Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Haiti
1989-90: 2nd Class Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Nigeria
1990-91: 1st Class Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Nigeria
1991-93: 1st Class Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Bolivia
1993-94: Auditor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Bolivia
1994-95: Auditor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Canada
1995-98: 2nd Class Counselor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Germany
1998-99: 2nd Class Counselor of the Apostolic Nunciature in United Kingdom
1999-01: 1st Class Counselor of the Apostolic Nunciature in United Kingdom
2001-04: 1st Class Counselor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Egypt
2004-06: 1st Class Counselor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Spain and in the Principality of Andorra
2006-08: 1st Class Counselor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Cuba
2008-13: Head of the Francophone section of the Secretariat of State, Vatican City
2013-19: Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana
Special Missions:
– 06. 1996 – 07.1998: Responsible for the project of the first phase of the Holy See Pavilion at the Universal Exposition in 2000, Hanover, Germany
– 06. 1996 – 07.1998: Responsible for the first phase of the construction of the building of the Apostolic Nunciature, Berlin, Germany
– 1999: Participation in the preparation of the Apostolic Journey of John Paul II to Germany, Paderborn and Berlin
– 20 – 31. 10. 1997: Head of the Delegation of the Holy See with the role of Observer at the
UNFCCC – Sessions of the Subsidiaries Bodies, Climate Change, United Nations – Bonn, Germany
– 19.11.2001 – 10.09.2004: Deputy Delegate of the Delegation of the Holy See to the Organization of the League of Arab States, Cairo, Egypt
– 24 – 25. 02. 2003: Member of the Delegation of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the meeting of the Mixed Commission for the Dialogue between the Monotheistic Religions Commission of al-Azhar (Egypt) and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (Holy See), Cairo, Egypt
– 29.04. – 02.05.2004: Head Delegation of the Holy See to the 16th Islamic General Conference, Cairo, Egypt
– 17-19.07.2004: Member of the Delegation of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the Joint Commission Meeting between the International Islamic Forum and the Pontifical Council for Interreligious, Cairo, Egypt
– 13 -17. 09. 2004: Head of the Delegation of the Holy See to the 2nd Session of the «World Urban Forum» ONU-HABITAT, Barcelona, Spain
– 6 – 8. 10. 2004: Head of the Delegation of the Holy See at the 2nd International Conference of the UNESCO project « Du conflit potentiel au potentiel de coopération » (PCCP), Zaragoza, Spain
– 1.05 – 21. 08. 2005: Responsible for the preparation of the Apostolic Journey of Pope Benedict XVI to Valencia, Spain
– 23 – 24. 05. 2006: Representative of the Holy See at the meeting organized by the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR) concerning the rescue at the sea and the interception in the Mediterranean of illegal refugees, Madrid, Spain
– 16 – 18. 10. 2006: Representative of the Holy See at the 6th Regional Conference of the Organisation of World Heritage Cities (OCPM), Cordoba, Spain
– 28 – 30.01.2008: Head of Delegation of the Holy See at the 2nd International Conference « Por
el equilibrio del mundo », Havana, Cuba.
– 11-13. 09. 2008: Member of the papal suite in the Apostolic Journey of Pope Benedict XVI to Paris and Lourdes, France
– 18-20. 11. 2011: Member of the papal suite in the Apostolic Journey of Pope Benedict XVI to Benin
– 14-16. 09. 2012: Member of the papal suite in the Apostolic Journey of Pope Benedict XVI to Lebanon
Ecclesiastical Honors/Decorations:
– 15. 10. 1988: Chaplain of His Holiness
– 10. 11. 1998: Prelate of Honor of His Holiness
– 24. 06. 2006: Conventual Chaplain “ad honorem” of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta
Civil Honors/Decorations:
– 02. 08. 1989: Grand Officer of the Order “Honor and Merit” of the Republic of Haiti
– 24. 02. 1999: Commander of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
– 16. 04. 2010: Knight of the Legion of Honor, France (promotion from 1st January 2010)
– 14. 09. 2013: Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus of the House of Savoy
Spoken languages: Alsatian, French, German, Italian, English, Spanish
Languages read: Portuguese, Flemish, Latin and Greek
I ask now all Colleagues to join me in raising our glasses wishing to Archbishop Speich all the best and God blessings for his important Mission in Slovenia and as our new Dean of the Diplomatic Corp.