His Excellency Archbishop Martin Krebs, apostolic nuncio to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, arrived in Wellington on Thursday (11 July).
Krebs was born in Essen, Germany, in 1956. He was ordained priest in 1983 and Bishop in 2008. He joined the Vatican’s diplomatic corps in 1991. He has been described as “possessed of what’s been called a ‘precise serenity.'” As well as his mother tongue he speaks five languages, English, Spanish, French, Italian and Czech.
He represented the Holy See at its diplomatic missions in Burundi, Japan, Austria, the Czech Republic, and to the European Community. In 2006 he was appointed to Washington as Archbishop Pietro Sambi’s #2.
Krebs’ most recent appointment was as apostolic nuncio to Guinea and Mali.
He replaces Archbishop Charles Balvo who has been appointed apostolic nuncio to Kenya.
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