Pope appoints Filipino bishop as envoy to Holy Land

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Adolfo Tito Yllana as envoy to Israel and Cyprus and at the same time the apostolic delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine.

The 73-year-old Filipino prelate would have to vacate his post as apostolic nuncio in Australia, a post he has occupied since 2015, to carry out an important mission in the Holy Land, the birthplace of Christianity.

CBCPNews said the Vatican made the announcement during the celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

Yllana would succeed Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli, who was appointed apostolic nuncio to India last March.

So far, Yllana has represented the Holy See in four continents: Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia/Oceania.

Born in Naga City on Feb. 6, 1948, Yllana was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Caceres on March 19, 1972.

He later earned a doctorate in civil and canon law, and entered the Ecclesiastical Academy, the Holy See’s school of diplomacy.

After his studies, he entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See, serving successively at Pontifical Representations in Ghana, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Lebanon, Hungary and Taiwan.

In December 2001, then Pope John Paul II appointed him as apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea and consecrated him bishop on Jan. 6, 2002 at St. Peter’s Basilica.

Subsequently, Yllana was entrusted with the leadership of the nunciature in the Solomon Islands.

In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as apostolic nuncio to Pakistan, then apostolic nuncio to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2010.

In February 2015, Pope Francis appointed him as apostolic nuncio to Australia.

Yllana is one of three Filipino apostolic nuncios who are active in the service. The others are Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the nuncio to Spain, and Archbishop Francisco Padilla, the nuncio to Guatemala.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis also appointed Filipino bishop-elect Joseph Tarife Durero as the new bishop of the diocese of Daru-Kiunga in Papua New Guinea.

A missionary from the Society of Divine Word (SVD), Durero was appointed last May 23, replacing Canadian Bishop Gilles Côté of the Missionaries of the Company of Mary, who served the post for 22 years.

Côté retired after reaching 75 years, the mandatory age of retirement, last Nov. 24.

At 53, Durero is currently vicar general of the archdiocese of Madang on the nation’s north coast.

A native of Dapa, Surigao del Norte, he made his final religious vows for the SVD on May 25, 1995 then was ordained priest on Dec. 12, 1995.

Following his ordination, he was sent for a mission to Papua New Guinea where he held various assignments through the years.