▁He ▁completed ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁study ▁at ▁the ▁Pont ific al ▁E cc les iast ical ▁Academy ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁a ▁diplom atic ▁career ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and ▁entered ▁the ▁diplom atic ▁service ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁See ▁on ▁ 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁His ▁early ▁post ings ▁included ▁Costa ▁Rica , ▁Ch ili , ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁Y ug oslav ia , ▁New ▁Zealand ▁and ▁O ce ania , ▁and ▁South ▁Korea , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁st int ▁in ▁Vienna ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁where ▁beginning ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁Holy ▁See ' s ▁P erman ent ▁Ob server ▁to ▁two ▁international ▁bodies : ▁the ▁International ▁At omic ▁Energy ▁Agency ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁Indust rial ▁Development ▁Organ ization . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 5 ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Pope ▁Paul ▁VI ▁appointed ▁him ▁Tit ular ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Tab la ▁and ▁Apost ol ic ▁Pro - n un cio ▁to ▁the ▁Central ▁African ▁Republic ▁and ▁Apost ol ic ▁De legate ▁to ▁Ch ad ▁and ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁the ▁Congo . ▁He ▁was ▁consec r ated ▁a ▁bishop ▁on ▁ 7 ▁December . ▁In ▁the ▁Central ▁African ▁Republic , ▁he ▁diplom atically ▁refused ▁Jean - B éd el ▁B ok assa ' s ▁request ▁that ▁the ▁po pe ▁crown ▁him ▁em peror ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 6 ▁June ▁