Incoming Secretary of State Pietro Parolin an expert in geopolitics
September 3, 2013. (Romereports.com) Starting in mid-October, 58-year-old Italian Archbishop Pietro Parolin will become Pope Francis' right hand man in governing the Church. By virtue of his age, he will become one of the Vatican's youngest Secretary of State in history; replacing 78-year-old Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who has held this position for the past seven years. Pietro Patrolin was, up until recently, the apostolic nuncio to Venezuela. He also worked at the embassies to Nigeria and Mexico, as well as in the Vatican Secretariat of State. In 2002, John Paul II named him as undersecretary for relations with states, a post he held for seven years. Archbishop Parolin took part in several high stakes negotiations, including the warming of ties with Communist Vietnam, dialogue with the U.S. Government following the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and with Spain's socialist government under Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The Italian showed great diplomatic and...