Antonio Mennini

On 8 July 2000, Mennini was appointed Titular Archbishop of Ferentium by Pope John Paul II. Mennini received his episcopal consecration on 12 September from Cardinal Angelo Sodano, with Cardinals Camillo Ruini and Jean-Louis Tauran serving as co-consecrators.

Upon Mennini's arrival in Bulgaria, he began preparing Pope John Paul II’s 2002 pastoral visit to the Eastern European country amid great controversy. However, the visit was hailed as a success, largely because the new nuncio established excellent working relations with Orthodox leaders who had originally opposed it.[4]

On 6 November 2002, Mennini was named Nuncio to Russia[7] and from 26 July 2008 was also Nuncio to Uzbekistan.[8] He is credited with notably improving the Holy See’s relations with the former Soviet countries in the Federation and with the Russian Orthodox Church.

As recently as 2001 Rome was criticised by the Russian Orthodox for establishing dioceses without adequate consultation in Russia. However, through the nuncio’s fence-mending efforts the situation gradually began to change and in December 2009 President Dmitry Medvedev approved the establishment of full diplomatic relations between the two states.[9] On 13 February 2011 Dmitry Medvedev awarded Mennini the Order of Friendship for his contribution to the development of Russian-Vatican relations.[10]

Mennini was named Nuncio to Great Britain on 18 December 2010[11] following the early retirement of Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz on 2 December 2010.[12] He presented his credentials to The Queen on 2 March 2011.[13]

One of the most important duties facing Mennini as Nuncio was to oversee the vetting process for the appointment of a substantial number of new bishops for England, Wales and Scotland.

Most significantly, Pope Benedict XVI accepted the resignation of Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh and Britain's then most senior cleric, on 25 February 2013. Two days later, the Pope likewise accepted that of Patrick Altham Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool. Mennini played a central role in the appointment of their successors.

A writer in the English Catholic publication The Tablet considered it likely that Mennini's appointment was recognition that delicate diplomatic work was required for the establishment of the personal ordinariate for former Anglicans in Britain.[4]