Monsignor Mario Roberto Cassari today presented his credentials to the President of Malta Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca as the new Apostolic Nuncio

During the ceremony, the President of Malta and the Apostolic Nuncio discussed the very good relations between Malta and the Holy See.

Monsignor Mario Roberto Cassari was born in Ghilarza (Oristano, Italy) on 27 August 1943.

He was ordained priest on 27 December 1969 and he was Incardinate at the Diocese of Ampurias e Tempio. He holds a degree in Theology.

After some years of pastoral ministry, he studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome and joined the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See on 5th March 1977. He then served in the Apolostic Nunciature in Pakistan, Colombia, Ecuador, Sudan, South Africa, Japan, Austria, Lithuania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Yugoslavia.

On 3 August 1999, he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Tronto and Apostolic Nuncio to Congo and Gabon. On 16th October 1999, he was consecrated as Bishop.

On 31 July 2004, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, and on the 8th September 2004, he was appointed also Apostolic Nuncio to Niger.

In 2008, Monsignor Cassari was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia and in 2012, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland.

Monsignor Cassari is fluent in English, French, Spanish and Croatian.