Pietro Parolin

Pietro Parolin, born January 15, 1955, is an Italian priest and currently the Holy See's Undersecretary of State for Relations with States, the #3 position in the Vatican's diplomatic service, since his appointment in 2002.

Early life

Parolin was born in Schiavon, Vicenza. After his ordination, he took up graduate studies in canon law and diplomacy. He entered the Holy See's diplomatic service in 1986 at the age of 31, and has served the Holy See as a diplomat for 20 years, in the nunciatures of Nigeria and Mexico, and in Rome as country director for Spain, Andorra, Italy, San Marino. He speaks Italian, English, French, and Spanish.

Role as Undersecretary for Relations with States

Parolin has also been at the forefront of Vatican efforts to approve and implement the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Addressing the International Atomic Energy Agency on 18 September 2006, at its headquarters in Vienna, Austria, Msgr. Parolin referred to this treaty as "the basis to pursue nuclear disarmament and an important element for further development of nuclear energy applications for peaceful purposes." He said: "Since this treaty is the only multilateral legal instrument currently available, intended to bring about a nuclear weapons-free world, it must not be allowed to be weakened. Humanity deserves no less than the full cooperation of all states in this important matter."

Concerning recent developments in international negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, the Vatican official reaffirmed "that the present difficulties can and must be overcome through diplomatic channels, making use of all the means that diplomacy has at its disposal and considers necessary to eliminate all the elements which objectively impede mutual trust."

Prophecy of the Popes

Msgr. Parolin achieved notoriety in 2006 via the internet as a possible future Pope. A note about the papal prophecies of the medieval Abbot Malachy speculated that Parolin might be "Petrus Romanus" ("Peter the Roman") whom Abbot Malachy predicts will be the last Pontiff before the end of the world; some have referred to this apocalyptic figure as Pope Peter II. The Wikipedia entry reads: "Because no number is assigned to Petrus Romanus (Malachy's 112th "Pope"), it is possible that (Peter the Roman) may take on the role of the Pope without putting on the robe of the Pope. Under this possible scenario, a catastrophe at the Vatican could wipe out the top leadership of the Church during either a consistory or a conclave of the College of Cardinals. As a result, with no viable College surviving to elect a new pontiff, this particular scenario would have a surviving official of the Roman Curia succeeding to the top leadership of the Church but not as Pope. Since he would not rise to the papacy itself but instead would become, in effect, the top caretaker of the Church, he would not need to assume a new papal name such as Peter; thus he would keep the name he has had since his birth in Italy, and that name already would be Peter (or, in Italian, Pietro). Currently (that is, as of March 2006) there is only one such candidate for Petrus Romanus within the Roman Curia. His name is Pietro Parolin..."