New Vatican Secretary of State begins duty after surgery

November 18, 2013 - The new Vatican Secretary of State took charge of his duties in the Vatican on Monday, more than a month after being officially installed to the post in absentia. The Vatican Secretariat of State announced the event with a tweet on Monday on its Twitter account, @TerzaLoggia, welcoming Archbishop Pietro Parolin in his office Monday morning. With outgoing Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone ending his term on Oct. 15, Archbishop Parolin officially took over, but was not present at the ceremony in the Vatican, as he was convalescing from a surgery in northern Italy’s Veneto Region. He arrived in the Vatican on Saturday. As Secretary of State, Archbishop Parolin holds the number two post in the Vatican, which is equivalent to that of a Prime Minister. The 58-year old trained diplomat has served in Vatican missions for 27 years, working in countries like Nigeria, Mexico and most recently Venezuela.