Apostolic Nuncio felicitated by CBCI president on the occasion of 25 year of his priestly ordination

New Delhi – Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) and the archbishop of Ranchi has felicitated Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, the Apostolic Nuncio in India, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the latter’s priestly ordination.

Expressing gratitude in the name of the whole Catholic Church of India, during a concelebrated thanksgiving Eucharist in the magnificent chapel of the Apostolic Nunciature this morning, Cardinal Toppo said, "We sincerely thank God for the gift of his Excellency to India, to all of us, and for all the benefits his services continue to provide."

The Eucharist was concelebrated by President of CBCI Cardinal Toppo, Archbishop on Bombay Cardinal Ivan Dias, Major Archbishop of Syro–Malankara Church Cyril Mar Baselios, Cardinal Varkey Vithyathil's representative Archbishop Jacob Thoomkuzhy, CCBI President Archbishop Oswald Gracias, Delhi Archbishop Vincent Concessao and many other archbishops, bishops and others.

Appreciating the important leadership provided by the Nuncio, Cardinal Toppo declared, "Though his stay among us as Holy Father’s Representative in India is still short, it has been marked by quite a number of notable and extra–ordinary events, like the Beatification of Mother Teresa, the Creation of a ninth Cardinal from among India’s sons, the tsunami tragedy, the passing away of Pope John Paul II, the election of Pope Benedict XVI, several meetings of the CBCI/CCBI in different parts of the country, the creation of several Bishops, the installation of the first Major Archbishop of the Syro–Malankara Church etc. In all these, His Excellency has taken keen interest."

Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana has the singular honour of being ordained by the late Pope John Paul II in the St Peter's Basilica and again being consecrated a bishop by the same Pope in the same Basilica.

Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana was born in Barbastro, Spain, on 27 July 1953 and was ordained priest on 15 June 1980 for the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela.

He holds a Doctorate in Canon Law (Angelicum) and Post–Graduation in Dogmatic Theology (Gregoriana) and entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See on 1 February 1984.

He has served in the Apostolic Nunciatures in Madagascar, in the Philippines and in India (from 1989 to 1991). On 7 February 1998, he was appointed Assessor for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See.

On 12 December 2002, he was elevated titular Archbishop of Agropoli and Apostolic Nuncio. On 6 January 2003, he was consecrated Archbishop by His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

On 8 February 2003, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio in the Republic of India and in the Kingdom of Nepal and presented the credential to the President of India on 16 April 2003.