'Mr. Ambassador, it's a pleasure to receive you.'
'I give you the credentials with which the King of Spain accredits me as the ambassador to the Holy See.'
This is how the pope greeted the new ambassador of Spain to the Holy See, Gerardo Bugallo Ottone.
The new ambassador was accompanied by his wife and son, trailing a long diplomatic career behind him. He has worked in Algeria, Hungary, and the United States, while his latest job was as an ambassador to Ukraine.
Spain is a country with one of the greatest diplomatic traditions before the Holy See. It is one of the most visited countries by both John Paul II, who went five times, and Benedict XVI, who went three times.
