At 9.30 this morning, the Holy Father received in audience H.E. Ms. Grace Relucio Princesa, for the presentation of her credential letters.

The following is a brief biography of the new ambassador:

H.E. Ms. Grace Relucio Princesa
Ambassador of the Philippines to the Holy See

H.E. Ms. Grace Relucio Princesa was born on 20 January 1956 in Ligao, Albay. Philippines.

She is a widow with five children.

She graduated in international relations from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, in 1977, and subsequently obtained a master’s degree in migration studies (Miriam College, 2016).

She has held the following offices: official at the Ministry of Human Settlements in Manila (1979-1986); acting director and then director of the European Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1986-1989); special assistant in the Department for Consular Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1989-1990); consul general in Chicago, U.S.A. (1990-1994); consul general in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. (1994-1996); first embassy secretary and consul in Cairo (1996-1998); director of the Department for Asia and the Pacific at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1998-1999); director of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Services at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1999-2001); chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Embassy in Baghdad (2001-2003); minister and consul general to the Permanent Mission to the European Union in Geneva (2003-2007); executive director of the Department for the United Nations and Other International Organizations (UNIO) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2007-2009) and permanent representative at the International Agency for Renewable Energy - IRENA (2010); ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (2009-2015); and assistant secretary at the Legislative Link Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (since 2015).

Foreign languages known: Arabic.