Giovanni Coppa (born November 9, 1925 in Alba, Italy) was ordained a priest January 2, 1949. During his first years as a priest in Rome he began working in the Vatican Secretariat of State and served as expert for Latin Languages during the Second Vatican Council. In 1979 John Paul II ordained him Titular Archbishop of Serta. He was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Czechoslovakia in 1990 and three years later to Apostolic Nuncio to both Czech Republic and Slovakia. He later retired from both positions and was appointed Cardinal-Deacon of S. Lino in 2007. He was installed on January 27, 2008.