Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo Staff reporter
The Pope’s new representative to Ireland Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo is due to take up residence in the country next month.
The new Papal Nuncio is expected to be received at an informal ceremony at Dublin Airport on August 14 before proceeding to the Apostolic Nunciature of Dublin’s Navan Road.
Dr Okolo (60) is a native of Nigeria and has most recently served the Holy See as Papal Nuncio to the Dominican Republic where he has served since 2013. He will replace Archbishop Charles Brown who took up his appointment as Papl Nuncio to Albania in May.
Arrival
Shortly after his arrival, Dr Okolo is expected to present his credentials to President Michael D. Higgins during a brief ceremony at Áras an Uachtaráin. It is customary for a new nuncio to maintain a discreet presence before the official State credentials ceremony. After this official engagement, there is expected to be a liturgical welcome in Dublin’s pro-cathedral to ceremonially mark the beginning of his ministry as the Pope’s representative to the local church.
A Church-State crisis was almost caused in 1949 when Church leaders here decided to hold the liturgical celebration of welcome for the Nuncio Archbishop Ettore Felici before credentials had been presented to President Sean T. O’Kelly.