Maltese prelate Mgr Antoine Camilleri has been nominated by Pope Benedict as under-secretary for the Holy See's Relations with States.

Born in Sliema on August 20, 1965 Mgr Camilleri was ordained priest at St John's Co-Cathedral in July 1991. He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in January 1999.

He has served in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (1999-2002), Uganda (2002-05) and Cuba (2005-06) - before being assigned to the secretariat of state in the Vatican as an official in the section for relations with states and private secretary to Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the Holy See's secretary for relations with states (2007-13).

The under-secretary for relations with states assists, and deputises for, the secretary for relations with states in the latter's responsibility as the Holy See's Foreign Minister, attending to all matters involving the relations of the Holy See with the international community and civil governments, as well as the promotion of the good of the Church and of society in the various parts of the world through diplomatic contacts and, where necessary, bilateral or multilateral agreements.