Pope Leo XIV appoints Romanian diplomat as his representative to Council of Europe

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Romanian diplomat Monsignor Paul Butnaru as the new permanent observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe.

The Vatican announced Butnaru’s appointment on Sept. 24. The Council of Europe, distinct from the European Union, is Europe’s leading human rights organization. Founded in 1949 after World War II, the Council of Europe upholds democracy, human rights, and the rule of law across continental Europe. Its headquarters is in Strasbourg, France.

The Holy See is not a full member of the council, which is limited to democratic states. Diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the council have existed since 1970, and Pope Francis visited the council in Strasbourg in 2014, where he called for a more humane response to migrants.

Francis’ plea to Europe to stop migrant deaths Criticizing the number of deaths resulting from the mass drownings of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Southern Europe, Francis warned the council in his address not to betray their mission by ignoring the suffering of these migrants.

Pope Francis addresses the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France, on Nov. 25, 2014. | Credit: Alan Holdren/CNA

“We cannot…