Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía apostolic nuncio to the United Kingdom, the Vatican press office announced April 13, 2023. An apostolic nuncio is the equivalent of an ambassador, serving as a diplomatic representative of the Vatican. The 67-year-old prelate, previously nuncio to Romania and Moldavia, takes the place left vacant by Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, who was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for Eastern Churches last January.
Born in Madrid in 1955, Miguel Maury Buendía studied art history and music before joining the seminary of the Archdiocese of Madrid and being ordained in 1980. After a brief period in a parish in Madrid and then his military service, he became a student at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, from which he graduated in 1987 to join the diplomatic service of the Holy See.
He was sent as secretary to the nunciature in Rwanda, Uganda, Morocco and Nicaragua, and later as an advisor in Egypt, Slovenia and Ireland. During these periods, he also taught.
In 2004, he returned to Rome, where he was given responsibility for the countries of southwestern Europe, and was appointed nuncio to Kazakhstan by Benedict XVI in May 2008. The German pontiff also entrusted him with relations with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan two months later.
In December 2015, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Buendía apostolic nuncio to Romania, adding in January 2016 the responsibility for Moldova. In 2019, the diplomat hosted the Argentine Pontiff during his visit to Romania. In addition to Spanish, Bishop Buendía speaks French, English, Italian, Slovenian and Russian.
