Burundi : A Beninese bishop appointed apostolic nuncio

Main organizer of the Pope's last trip to Hungary, Beninese bishop Dieudonné Datonou was acclaimed to the rank of apostolic nuncio in Burundi by Pope Francis. The announcement of his appointment was made on Thursday 07 October 2021.

The Roman Catholic Church of Benin has much to be proud of. She has once again been honored on a global scale. This time the standard of the church was carried by one of his sons. This is Bishop Dieudonné Datonou, who has just been appointed apostolic nuncio by Pope Francis. Previously member of the Apostolic Travels section of the Vatican Secretariat of State, and key player in the Pope's last trip to Hungary, Bishop Dieudonné Datonou leaves this section after several years of loyal service. This appointment is not trivial, it rewards several years of work well done. With this appointment, the Beninese bishop thus benefits from the confidence of Pope Francis.. Main organizer of Pope Francis' recent trip to Hungary and Slovakia, but also the historic pilgrimage to Iraq in March 2021, Bishop Datonou intends to bring his expertise to this new post to which he has just been appointed.

A rather convincing course

Native of Dékanmè, one of the nine districts of kpomassè,  Bishop Dieudonné Datonou in his sixties, worked at the secretary of state of the siege where he served for several years. In this section, he was mainly in charge of organizing the trips of Pope Francis. Ordained to the rank of priest on 07 December 1989, the new apostolic nuncio in Burundi worked in various pontifical representations. He went through Angola in particular,  Ecuador, Cameroon, Iran, India and El Salvador. Polyglot, this is his second name. Graduated in canon law and civil law, he expresses himself in French as well, German, Italy, Portuguese than Spanish. The Beninese is appointed at the same time as Bishop Guido Marini, master of pontifical liturgical celebrations.

What about the apostolic nuncio ?

In the administration of the Roman Catholic Church, the apostolic nuncio is : "A bishop who holds the role of permanent envoy of the Roman pontiff as head of the whole Church to local churches and as ruler of Vatican City to governments" According to the Canons 361 at 365 of the Code of Canon Law, the role of the Nuncio is : "... to make firm and effective the bonds of unity that exist between the Pope and the Church throughout the world". A new adventure thus begins for the Beninese bishop who makes proud not only his fathers of the Benin Catholic Church but also a whole nation..

 Yvon ALITONOU