Franco Coppola

Franco Coppola (born 31 March 1957) is an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who has been Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium and Luxembourg since 2021.

[1] He was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI with Cardinals Tarcisio Bertone and William Levada as co-consecrators on 12 September 2009, the twenty-eighth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, along with Gabriele Giordano Caccia, Giorgio Corbellini and Pietro Parolin.

[4] In December 2017, he forcefully reiterated Francis' criticism of the Mexican bishops saying that "The Church here in Mexico has been lagging behind and has continued to give valid answers for the last century, without realizing that time has meanwhile gone on.

[8] On the return flight to Rome following Pope Francis' 2024 trip to Belgium the pontiff said "'abortion is murder'" and that "'“science says that just one month from conception, all the organs are present'".

In response Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he would summon Archbishop Coppola to protest the pope's remarks as an “unacceptable” interference in his country’s domestic affairs.