A seasoned Vatican diplomat with nearly two decades of international service is stepping into one of the Holy See’s most sensitive missions.
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Mirosław Stanisław Wachowski as the new Apostolic Nuncio to Iraq, elevating him to the rank of archbishop and assigning him the Titular See of Villamagna in Proconsolare. The announcement came on Thursday, 18 September, through Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, during a gathering of the three sections of the Secretariat of State.
Born in Pisz, Poland, on May 8, 1970, Archbishop Wachowski was ordained a priest in 1996 for the Diocese of Ełk. A canon law graduate, he entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service in 2004, serving across Africa, Europe, and international institutions in Vienna before returning to Poland and later to the Secretariat of State.
His career includes assignments in Senegal, the IAEA, OSCE, and the United Nations Office in Vienna, showcasing his expertise in global diplomacy. In October 2019, he was named Undersecretary for Relations with States, a role in which he has been a key figure in shaping Vatican foreign policy.
Fluent in Italian, English, French, Spanish, and Russian, Archbishop Wachowski is now tasked with representing the Holy See in Iraq, a nation marked by both ancient Christian roots and ongoing challenges for religious coexistence. His appointment signals the Vatican’s continued commitment to dialogue, peace, and the support of Christian communities in the region.
