Pietro Parolin (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjetro paroˈliŋ]; born 17 January 1955) is an Italian cardinal of the Catholic Church. He has served as the Secretary of State since 15 October 2013

After he was ordained on 27 April 1980, he took up graduate studies in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University and at the same time diplomacy at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy. He entered the Holy See's diplomatic service in 1986 at the age of 31, and has served the Holy See as a diplomat for 20 years, in the nunciatures of Nigeria and Mexico.

He served for three years in the Nunciature of Nigeria and another three (1989–1992) in the Nunciature of Mexico. In Nigeria he became familiar with the problems in Christian-Muslim relations.

Parolin represented the Vatican in a variety of sensitive assignments, including trips to North Korea and Vietnam as well as the 2007 “Annapolis Conference” on the Middle East convened by the Bush administration

On 17 August 2009 Pope Benedict XVI appointed Msgr. Parolin to a new position as apostolic nuncio to Venezuela.

On 31 August 2013 Pope Francis announced the appointment of Archbishop Parolin as Secretary of State, replacing Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.^[11][12] Archbishop Parolin took office on 15 October.