Ivan Jurkovic Slovenian prelate and Vatican diplomat Date of Birth: 10.06.1952 Country: Slovenia

Content:

1. Early Life and Education
2. Diplomatic Career in the Holy See
3. Papal Nuncio
4. On June 5, 2021, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Canada.
5. Language Proficiency

Early Life and Education

Ivan Jurkovič was born in Ljutomer, Slovenia. He was ordained a priest on June 29, 1977. In 1978, he graduated from the Theological Faculty of the University of Ljubljana.

Diplomatic Career in the Holy See

In 1984, Jurkovič joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He served as the secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in South Korea (1984-1988), auditor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Colombia (1988-1992), and counselor of the Holy See Representation in Russia (1992-1996). He also taught canonical law at the Catholic Theological College of St. Thomas Aquinas (1993-1996).

Papal Nuncio

On July 28, 2001, Jurkovič was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Belarus. On the same day, he was ordained titular archbishop of Krkava. From April 22, 2004, to February 19, 2011, he served as Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine. On February 19, 2011, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation. From July 22, 2011, to February 13, 2016, he concurrently served as Apostolic Nuncio to Uzbekistan.

From February 13, 2016, to June 5, 2021, Jurkovič was the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations Office and Specialized Agencies in Geneva. He also served as Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the World Trade Organization.

On June 5, 2021, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Canada.

Awards and Honors

Jurkovič is the Conventional Chaplain ad honorem Grand Cross of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. He has also received the Order of St. Vladimir II degree from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) (2011) and the Gold Medal for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of N.I. Pirogov RSMU (2014).

Language Proficiency

In addition to his native Slovenian, Jurkovič speaks Italian, English, Russian, Spanish, German, French, and Ukrainian.

Religious figure

Wladyslaw Blin	Margot Kassman	Innokentiy VI
Gregory II	Rick Warren	Helder Camara