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Sergio Sebastiani

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His Eminence
Sergio Sebastiani
President Emeritus of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
Sebastiani in 2009
Sebastiani in 2009
Church Roman Catholic Church
Appointed 3 November 1997
Term ended 12 April 2008
Predecessor Edmund Casimir Szoka
Successor Velasio De Paolis
Other post Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Eustachio "pro hac vice" (2001–2024)[1]
Previous posts Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Madagascar (1976–1985)
Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Mauritius (1976–1985)
Titular Archbishop of Cesarea in Mauretania (1976–2001)
Apostolic Nuncio to Turkey (1985–1994)
Secretary General of the Committee for the Great Jubilee of 2000 (1994–1997)
President of Peregrinatio ad Petri Sedem (1996–1997)
Orders
Ordination 15 July 1956
by Norberto Pirini
Consecration 30 October 1976
by Jean-Marie Villot
Created cardinal 21 February 2001
by Pope John Paul II
Rank Cardinal Deacon (2001–2011)
Cardinal Priest (2011–2024)
Personal details
Born Sergio Sebastiani
11 April 1931
Montemonaco, Italy
Died 16 January 2024 (aged 92)
Rome, Italy
Alma mater Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Lateran University
Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy

Sergio Sebastiani (11 April 1931 – 16 January 2024) was an Italian prelate of the Catholic Church who was head of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 1997 to 2008. He was made a cardinal in 2001. From 1960 to 1994 he worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See, becoming an archbishop and apostolic nuncio in 1976 and leading the offices representing the Vatican in Madagascar, Mauritius, and Turkey.

Biography

Sergio Sebastiani was born in Montemonaco, Italy. He studied at the Episcopal Seminary of Ascoli Piceno and later at the Archiepiscopal Seminary of Fermo. He continued his studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he earned his licentiate in theology and at the Pontifical Lateran University where he was awarded a doctorate in canon law. He was ordained on 15 July 1956 in Fermo. After this, he studied in Rome until 1960.

Sebastiani served as secretary of nunciature in Perú, 1960–1962; in nunciature in Brazil 1962–1966; auditor in nunciature in Chile, 1966–1967. He was recalled to the Vatican as secretary of Cardinal Cicognani and subsequently Cardinal Villot during their terms as secretaries of State, and later head of the secretariat of the Sostituto, 1967–1974. The decision was taken to appoint him to the rank of Counselor of nunciature in France with special charge before the Council of Europe, 1974–1976. He was created Prelate of honour on 30 April 1974.[2][3]

On 27 September 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed him Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Mauretania and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Madagascar.[4] He added Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Mauritius on 24 November.[5] Sebastiani became Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Turkey on 8 January 1985.[6] In 1994, he was appointed General Secretary of the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.[7] From 2 May 1996[8] to 3 November 1997,[9] he was president of Peregrinatio ad Petri Sedem, the Vatican agency that promotes and supports pilgrims on their visits to Rome.

In 1997, Sebastiani was made President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, part of the Roman Curia, responsible for auditing the temporal possessions of the Holy See. He served in this position until his resignation on 12 April 2008. Pope Benedict XVI named Velasio De Paolis as Sebastiani's successor.[10]

Sebastiani was created Cardinal-Deacon of S. Eustachio on 21 February 2001, and was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. On 21 February 2011, he opted for the order of Cardinal Priest, with his former diaconal church elevated to the level of cardinalitial title.[11]

Sebastiani was the spiritual guide and protector of an organisation that styles itself the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta,[12] one of many private organizations mimicking the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Sebastiani died on 16 January 2024, at the age of 92.[13]

References

  1. Back to citation Cardinal-Deacon from 2001 to 2011; he became a Cardinal-Priest in 2011 but held this particular church since being named as a cardinal.
  2. Back to citation "SEBASTIANI Card. Sergio". press.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  3. Back to citation CNA. "Sebastiani, Sergio*". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  4. Back to citation Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXVIII. 1976. pp. 683, 742. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  5. Back to citation Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXVIII. 1976. p. 749. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  6. Back to citation Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXVII. 1985. p. 181. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  7. Back to citation di Bussolo, Alessandro (16 January 2024). "Pope Francis pays tribute to late Cardinal Sebastiani - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. Vatican News. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  8. Back to citation Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXVIII. 1996. p. 528. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. Back to citation Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXIX. 1997. p. 816. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  10. Back to citation "Rinunce e Nomine, 12.04.2008" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 12 April 2008. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  11. Back to citation Concistoro per il voto su alcune cause di canonizzazione 21.2.2011 Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Back to citation "Vatican". Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  13. Back to citation "Ascoli, si è spento il cardinale Sergio Sebastiani". Corriere Adriatico. 16 January 2024. Archived from the original on 16 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
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