This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience Her Excellency Ms. Maria Amélia Maio De Paiva, Ambassador of Portugal to the Holy See, on the occasion of the presentation of her credential letters.

The following is a brief biography of the new Ambassador:

Her Excellency Ms. Maria Amélia MAIO DE PAIVA
Ambassador of Portugal to the Holy See

Her Excellency Ms. Maria Amélia Maio De Paiva was born on 21 January 1961 in Lisbon. She is married and is Catholic.

She graduated in history from the Classical University of Lisbon in 1983. She was awarded a master’s degree in international relations from the Superior Institute of Social and Political Sciences (ISCSP).

After working as a high school teacher, she entered the diplomatic service and held the following offices: official, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (16 February 1990); assistant in the Office of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation (5 November 1991); Third Embassy Secretary and subsequently Cabinet Assistant of the Secretary of State for Cooperation (1992); Secretariat of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (21 April 1993); United Nations Mission, New York (4 September); First Embassy Secretary (2 March 1998); Secretariat of State (8 August 2000); Head of Division, Directorate of Services of South and Central America, Directorate General for Bilateral Relations (1 September 2000); interim Head, Directorate of Services of South and Central America (June to September 2001); Chair of the Commission for Women’s Equality and Rights, Presidency of Ministers (18 September 2002); Consul General in Toronto (2 November 2005); Embassy Counsellor (21 June 2006); Consul General in Newark (25 August 2009); Minister Plenipotentiary 2nd Class (27 December 2012); Ambassador to Poland (28 September 2013); Minister Plenipotentiary 1st Class (27 December 2015); Ambassador to Mozambique with accreditation to Mauritius, Seychelles, eSwatini and Tanzania (22 September 2016); Diplomatic Adviser to the President (9 March 2021); and Ambassador (16 December 2021).

She knows Portuguese (native language), English and French.