Appointment of Pontifical Legate for the celebrations on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the arrival in Valle di Pompei of the Icon of the Virgin of the Rosary
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Niger
Resignation and appointment of bishop of Gibraltar
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Zhangjiakou, China
Appointment of Pontifical Legate for the celebrations on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the arrival in Valle di Pompei of the Icon of the Virgin of the Rosary
The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, as Pontifical Legate for the solemn celebrations of 13 November at the Shrine of Pompei, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the arrival in Valle di Pompei of the Icon of the Virgin of the Rosary (13 November 1875), an event which marked the birth of the Shrine and of the new city.
Appointment of apostolic nuncio in Niger
The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Eric Soviguidi, titular of Cerenzia and apostolic nuncio in Burkina Faso, as apostolic nuncio in Niger.
Resignation and appointment of bishop of Gibraltar
The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Gibraltar, presented by Bishop Carmel Zammit.
The Holy Father has appointed Msgr. Charles Azzopardi, of the clergy of Gibraltar, until now rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe and parish priest of Saint Theresa, as bishop of the same diocese.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Charles Azzopardi was born in Gibraltar on 20 April 1962. After work experience, he carried out his studies in ecclesiastical formation at New Creation in Liverpool, United Kingdom, at the Miltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy in Dublin, Ireland, and at the Pontifical Urban College “de Propaganda Fide” in Rome.
On 6 August 1992 he received priestly ordination for the clergy of the diocese of Gibraltar.
He has held the following offices: parish vicar of the Cathedral of Saint Mary the Crowned (1992-1998), school chaplain at Saint Anne’s and Notre Dame Primary School-Westside and Bayside Comprehensive (Secondary) Schools (1998-2010).
From 1998 to date he has served as parish priest of Saint Theresa, rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Europe, and director of Nazareth House and the soup kitchen.
Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Zhangjiakou, China
Today, Friday 12 September 2025, the civil recognition and inauguration of Bishop Joseph Ma Yan'en, formerly of Xiwanzi, took place. The Holy Father, within the framework of the dialogue on the application of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People's Republic of China, appointed him on 4 September 2025 as auxiliary bishop of Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, China.
Curriculum vitae
Bishop Joseph Ma Yan’en was born on 15 January 1960 in Baoding. He was ordained a priest on 20 October 1985 for the Apostolic Prefecture of Yixian, where he held the office of vicar general. He received episcopal ordination on 20 December 2010. On 30 January he was appointed bishop of Xiwanzi, taking canonical possession of the same circumscription on the following 28 March.
