Happy Birthday, Holy Father! The Pope receives two gifts from the Queen: a telegram and a new ambassador

Pope Benedict XVI will be celebrating his 84th birthday today - having been born on 16 April 1927, in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria. Joseph Ratzinger's birth coincided with Holy Saturday, and he was baptised on the same day. The Pope has today become the seventh oldest pontiff in history, just behind his predecessor, John Paul II (who died aged 84 years and 10 months). Currently, the oldest pope to have led the Catholic Church is Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903, aged 93 years.

According to the Catholic News Agency, Queen Elizabeth II sent two gifts to Pope Benedict XVI yesterday, in time for his birthday. The first was a personal telegram containing Her Majesty's best wishes for the the Pope's birthday. The second "gift" was a new British ambassador to the Holy See, Mr Nigel Baker (see below).

The British Embassy to the Holy See has published the contents of the Queen's telegram to Pope Benedict. It reads: "On the occasion of your eighty fourth birthday, I have much pleasure in sending my warmest felicitations and prayers to Your Holiness, recalling with great fondness the memorable visit of Your Holiness to the United Kingdom. Elizabeth R."

According to a press release on yesterday's Foreign and Commonwealth Office website, Mr Nigel Marcus Baker OBE MVO has been officially named as Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Holy See. Mr Baker, who is referred to as "a career member of HM Diplomatic Service", will succeed Mr Francis Campbell, who is now in the process of being transferred to another diplomatic mission. The new Ambassador will take up his appointment during August 2011.

The FCO press release, announcing Mr Baker's appointment, says that "he joined the FCO in 1989, since when his career has taken him principally to Central Europe and Latin America, most recently as HM Ambassador to Bolivia. Mr Baker also worked in the Private Office of HRH The Prince of Wales from 2003 to 2006. Between 1996 and 1998 he lived and worked in Italy on an academic sabbatical."

The Telegraph also reports that the 44-year-old Baker worked briefly at Conservative Party headquarters in the late 1980s. It seems that one of his colleagues from that time is the prime minster, David Cameron. Although Nigel Baker isn’t a Catholic, his Slovakian-born wife, Alexandra (Sasha), is. It is also understood that the couple have one son (who, presumably, is also Catholic).

The new Ambassador to the Holy See issued a statement yesterday, in which he said: "I am delighted and honoured to be taking up this posting. The last few years have seen the development of a strong and fruitful global partnership between the United Kingdom and the Holy See. The historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI in September 2010 reinforced that relationship and opened new avenues for bilateral and multilateral collaboration."

Independent Catholic News reports that the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales is inviting all Catholics and people of good-will to send an e-birthday card to Pope Benedict. The card can be found on the Papal Visit Facebook page, and can be sent to the Pope's email address: benedict.xvi@vatican.va

I would like to join with the millions of other Catholics who will be offering thanksgiving to God today for Pope Benedict XVI's contribution to the Church throughout the past 84 years. I would also like to offer the Holy Father my own best wishes and assurances of prayers for his birthday. Ad multos annos...!

[Image: Mr Nigel Baker, the new British Ambassador to the Holy See; source FCO website]