Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli was born on March 13, 1953, in Predore (Bergamo). He was ordained a priest on June 17, 1978, and incardinated in the Diocese of Bergamo.

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See on July 13, 1987. During his service, he worked at the Apostolic Nunciatures in Cameroon and New Zealand, as well as in the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, in the Section for Relations with States. He also served at the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States of America.

He was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Indonesia on April 13, 2006, and at the same time appointed Titular Archbishop of Capri. On October 10, 2006, he was appointed Nuncio to East Timor. On January 13, 2011, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Singapore, Apostolic Delegate to Malaysia and Brunei, and non-resident papal representative to Vietnam. On September 13, 2017, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine, and on September 15, 2017, also Apostolic Nuncio to Cyprus. He was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to India on March 13, 2021, and on September 13, 2021, also Nuncio to Nepal.

He speaks French and English.

Archbishop Girelli is the seventh representative of the Holy Father to the independent Croatian state. His predecessors were: Msgr. Giulio Einaudi (February 29, 1992 – August 4, 2003), Msgr. Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastián (August 4, 2003 – December 10, 2007), Msgr. Mario Roberto Cassari (February 14, 2008 – March 10, 2012), Msgr. Alessandro D’Errico (May 21, 2012 – April 27, 2017), Msgr. Giuseppe Pinto (July 1, 2017 – July 22, 2019), and Msgr. Giorgio Lingua (July 22, 2019 – January 22, 2026).