{{short description|Maltese prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1959)}} {{about||the Maltese architect|Joseph M. Spiteri|the Australian soccer player|Joe Spiteri}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox Christian leader | type = Archbishop | honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend | name = Joseph Spiteri | honorific-suffix = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | title = Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico<br>Titular Archbishop of {{ill|Serta (titular see)|lt=Serta|it|Diocesi di Serta}} | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | church = Roman Catholic | archdiocese = | province = | metropolis = | diocese = | see = | elected = | appointed = 7 July 2022 | retired = | predecessor = Franco Coppola | opposed = | successor = | other_post = Titular Archbishop of {{ill|Serta (titular see)|lt=Serta|it|Diocesi di Serta}} <!---------- Orders The Orders section may be omitted in favour of Template:Ordination for those clergy claiming Apostolic succession, such as Catholics, Orthodox and Anglicans. ----------> | ordination = 29 June 1984 | ordained_by = Joseph Mercieca | consecration = 24 May 2009 | consecrated_by = Tarcisio Bertone, Paul Cremona and Joseph Mercieca | cardinal = | created_cardinal_by = | rank = <!---------- Personal details ----------> | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1959|05|20}} | birth_place = Sliema, Malta | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | buried = | nationality = Maltese | religion = | residence = | parents = | spouse = <!-- or | partner = --> | children = | occupation = | profession = | previous_post = {{bulleted list | Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon (2018-2022) | Apostolic Nuncio to Cote d’Ivoire (2013-2018) | Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka (2009-2013) }} | education = | alma_mater = | motto = Communionis Donus Servare | signature = | signature_alt = | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Joseph Spiteri.svg | coat_of_arms_alt = <!---------- Sainthood ----------> | feast_day = | venerated = | saint_title = | beatified_date = | beatified_place = | beatified_by = | canonized_date = | canonized_place = | canonized_by = | attributes = | patronage = | shrine = | suppressed_date = <!---------- Other ----------> | other = }} {{Infobox bishopstyles | name= Joseph Spiteri | dipstyle= *His Excellency *The Most Reverend | offstyle=Your Excellency | relstyle=Archbishop | image = Coat of arms of Joseph Spiteri.svg | image_size = 200px }}

'''Joseph Spiteri''' (born 20 May 1959) is a Maltese prelate of the Catholic Church who works in the diplomatic service of the Holy See. He has been Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico since July 2022.

==Biography== Joseph Spiteri was born on 20 May 1959 in Sliema Malta,<ref name=bio/> though the family lived in Luqa. He was the first child born to Ernest Spiteri and Emmanuela née Cassar. After attending local seminaries he was ordained a priest on 29 June 1984 by Archbishop Joseph Mercieca in St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta. After a brief pastoral assignment, he studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy and earned a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in 1988.<ref>{{cite web |access-date = 24 June 2019| url = https://www.dartalprovidenza.org/?p=5412&lang=mt | title = Archbishop Mgr. Joseph Spiteri, Apostolic Nuncio to the Ivory Coast, Visits Id-Dar tal-Providenza |date= 1 June 2015 | website = Id-Dar tal-Providenza}}</ref>

==Diplomatic career== He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See on 15 July 1988 and fulfilled assignments in Panama, Iraq, Mexico, Portugal, Greece and Venezuela, and then worked in the offices of the Secretariat of State in Rome.<ref name=bio/>

On 21 February 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka and Titular Archbishop of {{ill|Serta (titular see)|lt=Serta|it|Diocesi di Serta}}.<ref name=bio>{{cite press release | language = it| url= http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2009/02/21/0127/00315.html |title= Rinunce e Nomine, 21.02.2009| date= 21 February 2009 | access-date = 24 June 2019 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref> He was consecrated by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, with the Maltese archbishops Paul Cremona and Joseph Mercieca as co-consecrators, in St John's Co-Cathedral.<ref>{{cite news |last= Galea Debono | first = Fiona | url = http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090525/local/new-maltese-apostolic-nuncio-plans-to-help-in-sri-lanka-humanitarian-crisis.258330 |title=New Maltese Apostolic Nuncio plans to help in Sri Lanka humanitarian crisis |work=The Times of Malta |date= 25 May 2009 |access-date = 24 March 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | access-date = 23 June 2019 | date= 7 March 2018 | url = https://www.ivorycoasttimes.com/archbishop-joseph-spiteri-of-malta-appointed-new-apostolic-nuncio-to-lebanon-catholic-information-center/| work = Ivory Coast Times | title = Archbishop Joseph Spiteri Of Malta Appointed New Apostolic Nuncio To Lebanon: Catholic Information Center}}</ref>

On 1 October 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Nuncio to the Côte d'Ivoire.<ref>{{cite press release |language=it | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2013/10/01/0623/01389.html |title= Rinunce e Nomine, 01.10.2013| date= 1 October 2013 | access-date = 24 June 2019 | publisher = Holy See Press Office }}</ref>

On 7 March 2018, Pope Francis named him Nuncio to Lebanon.<ref>{{cite press release | url = http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/03/07/180307e.html |title= Resignations and Appointments, 07.03.2018 | date= 7 March 2018 | access-date = 24 June 2019 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref>

On 7 July 2022, Pope Francis named him Nuncio to Mexico.<ref>{{cite press release | url = https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2022/07/07/0521/01059.html |title= Rinunce e nomine, 07.07.2022 | date= 7 July 2022 | access-date = 7 July 2022 | publisher = Holy See Press Office}}</ref>

==See also== * List of heads of the diplomatic missions of the Holy See

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}} {{commonscat}}

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{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Malta}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Spiteri, Joseph}} Category:Living people Category:1959 births Category:Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas alumni Category:20th-century Maltese Roman Catholic priests Category:Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumni Category:Apostolic nuncios to Sri Lanka Category:Apostolic nuncios to Ivory Coast Category:Apostolic nuncios to Lebanon Category:Apostolic nuncios to Mexico Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Benedict XVI