Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián

Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián (born November 28, 1943)[1] is a Spanish prelate of the Catholic Church who has spent his career in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He has been an archbishop since 1994 and held the title of Apostolic Nuncio to several countries until his resignation in 2015.


Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián
Apostolic Nuncio emeritus to Romania and Moldova
Titular Archbishop of Penafiel
Appointed10 December 2007
Retired20 July 2015
PredecessorJean-Claude Périsset
SuccessorMiguel Maury Buendía
Other post(s)Titular Archbishop of Penafiel
Orders
Ordination19 March 1968
by Antonio Samorè
Consecration25 July 1994
by Angelo Sodano, Josip Uhac, and Carlos Amigo Vallejo
Personal details
Born (1943-11-28) November 28, 1943 (age 80)
NationalitySpanish
Previous post(s)
MottoIn Veritate Libertas
Styles of
Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián
Reference style
Spoken styleYour Excellency
Religious styleArchbishop

Biography edit

He was born to a farming family in Villaverde de Íscar on November 28, 1943. He studied at the seminary in Seville and at the Pontifical University of Salamanca. He earned his licentiate in theology in 1966 from the Pontifical Gregorian University.[2] He was ordained a priest on March 19, 1968, by Cardinal Antonio Samorè[1]

In 1977 he obtained a doctorate in canon law from Lateran University, while already working in the Nunciature in Nigeria. His other early postings in the diplomatic service of the Holy See included South Africa, Zimbabwe, Yugoslavia, and Guatemala.[2]

On July 25, 1994, Pope John Paul II appointed him titular archbishop of Penafiel and Apostolic Nuncio to Tanzania.[2] He received his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Angelo Sodano on July 25. John Paul made him Nuncio to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on March 20, 1999,[3] during the Second Congo War, where in 2000 he criticized the shelling of Kisangani as a "tragic and unjustified" targeting of the Christian population.[4]

He returned to Rome in 2001 and worked in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State[2] and in December was also made a member of the administrative council of Vatican Television.[5]

John Paul made him Nuncio to Croatia on August 4, 2003,[6] and he received his next posting from Pope Benedict XVI as Nuncio to both Romania and Moldova on December 10, 2007.[7][2]

Pope Francis accepted his resignation as Nuncio on July 20, 2015.[1]

Prize and awards edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Archbishop Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián [Catholic-Hierarchy]". www.catholic-hierarchy.org. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "El Papa designa al segoviano Francisco Javier Lozano como nuncio apostólico en Rumanía". El Norte de Castilla (in Spanish). December 12, 2007. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  3. ^ "Bishops who are not Ordinaries: LO… – LT…". www.gcatholic.org. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  4. ^ The Catholic World Report. Vol. 10. Ignatius Press. 2000. p. 21.
  5. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 20.12.2001" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. December 20, 2001. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  6. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 04.08.2003" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. August 4, 2003. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  7. ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 10.12.2007" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. December 10, 2007. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  8. ^ "A San Ferdinando e a Bisceglie la IX edizione del Riconoscimento Giovanni Paolo II" [In San Ferdinando and BIsceglie the IX edition of the Juan Paul II Award] (in Italian). October 21, 2020. Retrieved June 2, 2021.

External links edit