Marek Zalewski (bishop)

Marek Zalewski (born 2 February 1963) is a Polish prelate of the Catholic Church who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He has been the Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore since May 2018 and Papal Resident Representative to Vietnam since December 2023.

His Excellency, The Most Reverend Marek Zalewski
Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore Residential Pontifical Representative for Vietnam
Appointed	21 May 2018
Predecessor	Leopoldo Girelli
Other post(s)	Titular Archbishop of Africa
Previous post(s)	Apostolic Nuncio to Zimbabwe (2014-2018)
Orders
Ordination	27 May 1989 by Juliusz Paetz
Consecration	31 May 2014 by Pietro Parolin, Janusz Stepnowski and Romuald Kamiński
Personal details
Born	Marek Zalewski (1963-02-02) 2 February 1963 (age 62) Augustow, Poland People's Republic
Nationality	Polish
Motto	Lumen vitae Christus (Christ, light of life)
Coat of arms

Styles of Marek Zalewski
Reference style	His Excellency The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Excellency
Religious style	Archbishop

Biography

Marek Zalewski was born in Augustow, Poland, on 2 February 1963 to Jan Zalewski and Klara née Krucynska Zalewska. From 1983 to 1985 he studied at the major seminary in Łomża and from 1985 to 1989 at the metropolitan seminary in Florence, Italy. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Łomża on 27 May 1989.^[1][2]

He worked as a parish priest in Florence for two years and then completed his doctorate in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1995 while also preparing for a diplomat's career at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy.

Diplomatic career

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 1 July 1995. He worked in the Central African Republic (1995-1998), at the United Nations in New York (1998-2001), in Great Britain (2001-2004), Germany (2004-2008), Thailand (2008-2011), Singapore (2011-2012), and Malaysia (2012-2014).^[1][2]

On 25 March 2014, Pope Francis named Zalewski titular archbishop of Africa^[a] and Apostolic Nuncio to Zimbabwe.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, on 31 May.

On 21 May 2018, Pope Francis named him Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore and Non-Residential Papal Representative to Vietnam.^[3] On 23 December 2023, Pope Francis named him Papal Resident Representative in Vietnam.^[4] On 31 January 2024, he arrived in Vietnam to take up his current position.^[5]

Notes

1. The old part of the Tunisian city of Mahdia corresponds to the ancient Roman city called Aphrodisium and, later, Africa.

See also

• List of heads of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See