Pope Francis Transfers, Appoints Apostolic Nuncios to South Africa, Lesotho, DR Congo

In South Africa and Lesotho, Archbishop Jagodziński succeeds Archbishop Peter Bryan Wells who was transferred to the Vatican Diplomatic Mission in Thailand and Cambodia in February 2023.

Archbishop Wells had been serving as the Papal Representative in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa since February 2016.

In the latest administrative changes in Africa, the Holy Father has also filled the Apostolic Nunciature in the DRC, following his appointment of Archbishop Ettore Balestrero as Permanent Observer to the United Nations Office and Specialized Agencies in Geneva last June.

Archbishop Leskovar, the newly appointed Apostolic Nuncio in DRC, which is home to Africa's largest Catholic population, was born in January 1970 in Kranj, Slovenia. 

He was ordained a Priest of Slovenia’s Catholic Archdiocese of Ljubljana in June 1995.

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He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in July 2001; he has served in various Pontifical Representations including Germany, India, and Bangladesh where he worked in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.

The Vatican diplomat was assigned the Titular See of Beneventum at his Episcopal Consecration in August 2020 following his appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq in May 2020.

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