The new Apostolic Nuncio to Great Britain, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, Wednesday presented his diplomatic papers to the Queen.
He
was taken from Archbishop’s House to Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn
carriage before presenting a letter of his appointment and his
predecessor’s resignation papers.
It was reported that an altar server
from Westminster Cathedral was the coachman for the nuncio’s carriage.
Archbishop
Mennini, 63, who is Italian, previously served for eight years as
nuncio to Russia.
He was highly regarded for the way he handled the
Church’s delicate relationship with
Moscow and was credited with
improving relations dramatically.
The previous nuncio, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz, stepped down in December because of ill health.