Mario Zanin (1890-1956) was born in Italy and became a priest in 1913, a bishop in 1930. In 1934, he was appointed as the Vatican's ambassador to China by the Pope and took office in Beijing.

Later, Japan launched a full-scale invasion into China. He called on all believers to serve the Chinese people's resistance against the Japanese invaders and presided over the ceremony in memory of the dead Chinese soldiers. But later his attitude toward the war changed and aroused the opposition from Chinese patriotic people.

In 1946, he returned to Italy. Afterwards, he acted as the Vatican's ambassador to Chile and Argentina. In 1956, he died in Argentina.