On Thursday, 22 January 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Giorgio Lingua as the new Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine and Apostolic Nuncio to Israel, succeeding Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana, who has served the Holy See in Jerusalem since 2021.

Prior to this appointment, H.E. Archbishop Lingua served as Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia from 2019, and now Pope Leo XIV entrusts him with an important mission in the Holy Land. 

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem expresses its sincere gratitude to H.E. Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana for his faithful service over the past four years, and warmly welcomes Archbishop Giorgio Lingua, entrusting his ministry among us to the Lord’s grace and blessing. 

Short biography 
H.E. Archbishop Giorgio Lingua
Born on 23 March 1960 in Fossano–Piovani, Italy, he is a priest of the Diocese of Cuneo-Fossano. He was ordained to the priesthood on 10 November 1984.

After completing philosophical and theological studies, he earned a doctorate in Canon Law and was trained at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. He entered the Holy See’s diplomatic service on 1 July 1992.

He served in the Apostolic Nunciatures of Côte d’Ivoire, the United States of America, Germany, Egypt, and Croatia.

On 4 September 2010, he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Tuscania and Apostolic Nuncio to Jordan and Iraq. He later served as Apostolic Nuncio to Cuba (2015–2019) and has been Apostolic Nuncio to Croatia since 2019.