The Apostolic Nunciature to the Republic of Portugal is an ecclesiastical office of the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

. It is a diplomatic post of the

Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...

, whose representative is called the Apostolic Nuncio with the rank of an ambassador. For much of the nineteenth and twentieth Centuries the holders of the office have gone on to hold positions in the

Roman Curia The Roman Curia () comprises the administrative institutions of the Holy See and the central body through which the affairs of the Catholic Church are conducted. The Roman Curia is the institution of which the Roman Pontiff ordinarily makes use ...

that customarily been held by cardinals. This custom has now ceased, though is still in use in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

Apostolic nuncios to Portugal

* Antonio Pucci (1513 - 1515) *Manuel de Noronha (1518) * Martinho de Portugal (1527 - 1529) *Marco Quinto Vigerio della Rovere (1532 - 1536) * Girolamo Capodiferro (1536 - 1539) *Ferdinando Vasconcellos de Menezes (20 December 1538 - 1542 ?) *

Luigi Lippomano Luigi Lippomano (also Alvise, or Aloisio, in Latin Aloisius Lipomanus) (1496, Venice – 15 August 1559, Rome) was an Italian bishop and hagiographer. Life Luigi Lippomano was the illegitimate son of Venetian patrician Bartolo Lippomano, who de ...

(21 May 1542 - 27 June 1544) * Giovanni Ricci di Montepulciano (27 June 1544 - 4 March 1550) * Pompeo Zambeccari (4 March 1550 - 22 November 1553) * Cardinal Henry of Portugal (Nov 1553 - 1560) (with the title of ''Legate'') *

Prospero Santacroce Prospero Pubblicola Santacroce (24 September 1514 – 2 October 1589) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal. He was active in Church affairs as a diplomat and prelate in Rome. Biography Santacroce was born in Rome on September 24, 1 ...

(6 July 1560 - 10 May 1561) *Giovanni Campeggi (10 May 1561 - 17 September 1563) *Flaminio Donato di Aspra (1563 - 1574) (with the title of ''collector'') *Giovanni Andrea Caligari (16 October 1574 - 10 July 1577) (with the title of ''collector'') *Roberto Fontana (10 July 1577 - Nov 1578) (with the title of ''collector'') *Alessandro Frumento (12 November 1578 - 15 April 1580) *Cardinal Alessandro Riario (15 April 1580 - 9 February 1583) (with the title of ''Legate'') *Roberto Fontana (9 February 1583 - 1584) (with the title of ''collector'') *

Alfonso Visconti Alfonso Visconti (15521608) was an Italian Catholic cardinal and diplomat. Life Alfonso Visconti was born in Milan in 1552. He was the son of Count Annibale, a member of the ''Saliceto'' branch of the noble family of Visconti, and of Lucia Saul ...

(14 May 1584 - 1586) (with the title of ''collector'') *Muzio Bongiovanni (22 February 1586 - 1588) (with the title of ''collector'') *Giovanni Battista Biglia (25 August 1588 - 1592) (with the title of ''collector'') *

Fabio Biondi Fabio Biondi (born 15 March 1961) is an Italian violinist and conductor. He is a specialist in Baroque and early music. Biography Born in Palermo, Sicily, Biondi had a late start, having never even held a violin till age 11, but by the followin ...

(1º Oct 1592 - 15 October 1596) (with the title of ''collector'') * Ferdinando Taverna (15 October 1596 - 17 March 1598) (with the title of ''collector'') *

Decio Carafa Decio Carafa (1556–1626) was an Archbishop of Naples who had previously served as papal nuncio to the Spanish Netherlands (1606–1607) and to Habsburg Spain (1607–1611). Life Carafa was born in Naples in 1556, the son of Ottaviano Carafa, l ...

(17 March 1598 - 1604) (with the title of ''collector'') * Fabrizio Caracciolo Piscizi (22 December 1604 - 31 January 1609) (with the title of ''collector'') *Gasparo Albertoni (31 January 1609 - 1614) (with the title of ''collector'') *

Ottavio Accoramboni Ottavio Accoramboni (1549 – 23 May 1625) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Urbino (1621–1623), Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal (1614–1620), and Bishop of Fossombrone (1579–1610). Biography Ottavio Accoramboni was bor ...

(4 June 1614 - 4 June 1620) (with the title of ''collector'') *

Vincenzo Landinelli Vincenzo Landinelli (died 1627) was a Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Albenga (1616–1624) and Apostolic Collector to Portugal (1620–1621). ''(in Latin)'' Biography Vincenzo Landinelli was born in Sarzana, Italy. On 3 Augus ...

(4 June 1620 - 15 September 1621) (with the title of ''collector'') * Antonio Albergati (15 September 1621 - 27 February 1624) (with the title of ''collector'') * Giovanni Battista Maria Pallotta (8 June 1624 - 6 June 1626) (with the title of ''collector'') *Lorenzo Tramallo (12 April 1627 - 1634) (with the title of ''collector'') * Alessandro Castracani (30 September 1634 - 1640) (with the title of ''collector'') *Girolamo Battaglia (15 November 1640 - 30 September 1646) (with the title of ''collector'') *Vincenzo Nobili (18 February 1647 - after 1650) (with the title of ''collector'') * Francesco Ravizza (12 August 1670 - 12 April 1673) *

Marcello Durazzo Marcello Durazzo (Genoa, 6 March 1633 – Faenza, 12 April 1710) was an Italian Catholic Cardinal and Archbishop. Biography Marcello Durazzo was born in Genoa in 1633 from a very noble family of the Genoese Republic that had included many promin ...

(12 April 1673 - 5 May 1685) *

Francesco Niccolini Francesco Niccolini (also ''Nicolini'', 1639 – 1692) was an Italian archbishop and diplomat, Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal from 1685 to 1690 and to France from 1690 to 1692. Life Born in Florence in 1639, he was nephew of the archbishop of th ...

(10 October 1685 - 24 January 1690) *

Sebastiano Antonio Tanara Sebastiano Antonio Tanara (10 April 1650 – 5 May 1724) was an Italian Cardinal (Catholicism), cardinal. He studied law at the university of Bologna. He was internuncio in Flanders (1675-1687) and as, such, he was sent with secret mission to kin ...

(26 May 1690 - 15 March 1692) * Giorgio Cornaro (12 May 1692 - 22 July 1697) *

Michelangelo dei Conti Pope Innocent XIII (; ; 13 May 1655 – 7 March 1724), born as Michelangelo dei Conti, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 May 1721 to his death in March 1724. He remains the most recent pope to take the ...

(24 March 1698 - 7 June 1706) *

Vincenzo Bichi Vincenzo is an Italian male given name, derived from the Latin name Vincentius (the verb ''vincere'' means to win or to conquer). Notable people with the name include: Art *Vincenzo Amato (born 1966), Italian actor and sculptor * Vincenzo Bell ...

(14 September 1709 - 1720) * Giuseppe Firrao (seniore) (28 September 1720 - 11 December 1730) *Gaetano de Cavalieri (27 March 1732 - before 6 November 1738) *

Giacomo Oddi Giacomo Oddi (11 November 1679 - 2 May 1770) was an Italian archbishop and cardinal. Biography He was born to a local aristocratic family in Perugia and was ordained a priest on 30 May 1723. He was appointed titular archbishop of Laodicea in P ...

(25 February 1739 - 9 September 1743) * Luca Melchiore Tempi (22 January 1744 - 26 November 1753) *

Filippo Acciaiuoli Filippo Acciaiuoli (1637 – 8 February 1700) was an Italian composer, librettist, theater manager, machine designer, and poet. Acciaiuoli spent much of his youth and early adulthood traveling throughout Europe, the Middle East and Northern Africa ...

(28 January 1754 - 23 February 1761 expelled from Portugal) * Vincenzo Ranuzzi (26 February 1782 - 14 February 1785) * Carlo Bellisomi (7 May 1785 - 21 February 1794) *

Bartolomeo Pacca Bartolomeo Pacca (27 December 1756, Benevento – 19 April 1844, Rome) was an Italian cardinal, scholar, and statesman as Cardinal Secretary of State. Pacca served as apostolic nuncio to Cologne, and later to Lisbon. Biography Bartolomeo Pacca ...

(21 March 1794 - 23 February 1801) *

Lorenzo Caleppi Lorenzo may refer to: People * Lorenzo (name) Places Peru * San Lorenzo Island (Peru), sometimes referred to as the island of Lorenzo United States * Lorenzo, Illinois * Lorenzo, Texas * San Lorenzo, California, formerly Lorenzo * Lorenzo State ...

(23 December 1801 - 8 March 1816) *Giovan Francesco Compagnoni Marefoschi (20 December 1816 - 17 September 1820) * Giacomo Filippo Fransoni (21 January 1823 - 2 October 1826) * Alessandro Giustiniani (24 April 1827 - 2 July 1832) * Filippo de Angelis (13 November 1832 - 15 February 1838) *

Camillo Di Pietro Camillo di Pietro (10 January 1806 – 6 March 1884) was an Papalini Catholic prelate who served as Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals and later Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1853. Biogr ...

(7 February 1844 - 16 June 1856) *

Innocenzo Ferrieri Innocenzo Ferrieri (1810–1887) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Ferrieri was appointed Titular Archbishop of Side on 4 October 1847. He was elevated to Cardinal on 13 March 1868 by Pope Pius IX and appointed Cardinal-Prie ...

(16 June 1856 - 13 March 1868) * Luigi Oreglia di Santo Stefano (29 May 1868 - 22 December 1873) * Domenico Sanguigni (25 August 1874 - 19 September 1879) *

Gaetano Aloisi Masella Gaetano Aloisi Masella (30 September 1826 – 22 November 1902) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was elevated to the cardinalate in 1887 and served as Prefect of the Congregation of Rites from 1899 until his death. Bi ...

(30 September 1879 - 25 June 1883) *

Vincenzo Vannutelli Vincenzo Vannutelli (5 December 1836 – 9 July 1930) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church. He spent his career in the foreign service of the Holy See and was made a cardinal in 1890. At his death he was the oldest member of the Coll ...

(3 October 1883 - 23 June 1890) * Domenico Maria Jacobini (16 June 1891 - 22 June 1896) * Andrea Aiuti (26 September 1896 - 12 November 1903) *

José Macchi José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced ...

(Jan 1904 - 7 June 1906) * Giulio Tonti (4 October 1906 - 25 October 1910 ) * Achille Locatelli (13 July 1918 - May 1923 ) *

Sebastiano Nicotra Sebastiano Nicotra (31 August 1855 – 21 May 1929) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. From 1916 to 1929 he was an apostolic nuncio with the rank of archbishop. Biography Sebastiano ...

(30 May 1923 - 1928 ) * Beda Giovanni Cardinale, O.S.B. (21 June 1928 - 1 December 1933 ) *

Pietro Ciriaci Pietro Ciriaci (2 December 1885 – 30 December 1966) was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Council in the Roman Curia from 1954 until his death, and was elevated to the car ...

(9 January 1934 - 12 January 1953) *

Fernando Cento Fernando Cento (10 August 1883 – 13 January 1973) was a cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as Major Penitentiary of Apostolic Penitentiary. Early life Fernando Cento was born in Pollenza, Italy. His parents were Evaristo Cento a ...

(26 October 1953 - 1958) *

Giovanni Panico Giovanni Panico (12 April 1895 – 7 July 1962) was an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as nuncio to several countries during his career, and was created a cardinal in 1962. Life Early life Panico was born in Tricase, in t ...

(25 January 1959 - 1962) * Maximilien de Fürstenberg (28 April 1962 - 26 June 1967) *

Giuseppe Sensi Giuseppe Maria Sensi (27 May 1907 – 26 July 2001) was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as a longtime Vatican diplomat. Biography Sensi was born in Cosenza, Italy, on 27 May 1907, the sixth of ten children of ...

(8 July 1967 - 1976) * Angelo Felici (13 May 1976 - 27 August 1979) *

Sante Portalupi Sante Portalupi, also Portaluppi, (1 November 1909 – 31 March 1984) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who spent his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. From 1959 until his death, he held the senior position as apostolic ...

(15 December 1979 - 31 March 1984) *

Salvatore Asta Salvatore Asta (17 January 1915 – 30 December 2004) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. Biography Salvatore Asta was born in Alcamo, Italy, on 17 January 1915. He was ordained a pri ...

(21 July 1984 - 1989) *

Luciano Angeloni Luciano Angeloni (2 December 1917 – 9 May 1996) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who spent his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. Biography Luciano Angeloni was born in Imperia, Italy, on 2 December 1917. He was ordai ...

(31 July 1989 - 15 March 1993) *

Edoardo Rovida Edoardo Rovida (born 26 August 1927) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1953 to 2002. Biography Edoardo Rovida was born on 26 August 1927 in Alessandria, Italy, and was orda ...

(15 March 1993 - 12 October 2002) *

Alfio Rapisarda Alfio Rapisarda (born 3 September 1933) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1962 to 2008, with the title of apostolic nuncio from 1979. Biography Alfio Rapisarda was born on 3 ...

(12 October 2002 - 8 November 2008) *

Rino Passigato Rino Passigato (born 29 March 1944) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church, who was the Apostolic Nuncio to Portugal from 2008 to 2019. He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1973. He has been an archbishop since 1992 and serv ...

(8 November 2008 - 4 July 2019) * Ivo Scapolo (29 August 2019 – 23 May 2025)

References

{{Diplomatic missions in Portugal