His Eminence

Sergio Sebastiani
President Emeritus of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
Sebastiani in 2009
ChurchRoman Catholic Church
Appointed3 November 1997
Term ended12 April 2008
PredecessorEdmund Casimir Szoka
SuccessorVelasio De Paolis
Other post(s)Cardinal-Priest of Sant'Eustachio "pro hac vice" (2001–2024)[a]
Orders
Ordination15 July 1956
by Norberto Pirini
Consecration30 October 1976
by Jean-Marie Villot
Created cardinal21 February 2001
by Pope John Paul II
RankCardinal Deacon (2001–2011)
Cardinal Priest (2011–2024)
Personal details
Born
Sergio Sebastiani

(1931-04-11)11 April 1931
Montemonaco, Italy
Died16 January 2024(2024-01-16) (aged 92)
Rome, Italy
Previous post(s)
Alma mater
Coat of armsSergio Sebastiani's coat of arms
Styles of
Sergio Sebastiani
Reference styleHis Eminence
Spoken styleYour Eminence
Informal styleCardinal
SeeCaesarea in Mauretania (titular)

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.[1][2]

On 27 September 1976, Pope Paul VI appointed him Titular Archbishop of Caesarea in Mauretania and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Madagascar.[3] He added Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Mauritius on 24 November.[4] Sebastiani became Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Turkey on 8 January 1985.[5] In 1994, he was appointed General Secretary of the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000.[citation needed] From 2 May 1996[6] to 3 November 1997,[7] 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.[8]

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.[9]

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,[10] one of many private organszations mimicking the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Sebastiani died on 16 January 2024, at the age of 92.[11]

Notes

  1. ^ Cardinal-Deacon from 2001 to 2011; he became a Cardinal-Priest in 2011 but held this particular church since being named as a cardinal.

References

  1. ^ "SEBASTIANI Card. Sergio". press.vatican.va. Archived from the original on 4 September 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  2. ^ CNA. "Sebastiani, Sergio*". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  3. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXVIII. 1976. pp. 683, 742. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  4. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXVIII. 1976. p. 749. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  5. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXVII. 1985. p. 181. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 June 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  6. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXVIII. 1996. p. 528. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  7. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis (PDF). Vol. LXXXIX. 1997. p. 816. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ Concistoro per il voto su alcune cause di canonizzazione 21.2.2011 Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ "Vatican". Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
  11. ^ "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.

External links

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Diplomatic posts Preceded byMichele Cecchini Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Madagascar 27 September 1976 – 8 January 1985 Succeeded byAgostino Marchetto Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Mauritius 27 September 1976 – 8 January 1985 Preceded bySalvatore Asta Apostolic Nuncio to Turkey 8 January 1985 – 16 November 1994 Succeeded byPier Luigi Celata Catholic Church titles Preceded byGiuseppe Moizo — TITULAR — Titular Archbishop of Cesarea in Mauretania 27 September 1976 – 21 February 2001 Succeeded byGerard Johannes Nicolaas de Korte Preceded byCamillo Ruini President of the Peregrinatio ad Petri Sedem 2 May 1996 – 3 November 1997 Succeeded byCrescenzio Sepe Preceded byEdmund Szoka President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See 3 November 1997 – 12 April 2008 Succeeded byVelasio De Paolis Preceded byGuido del Mestri Cardinal Deacon of San Eustachio 21 February 2001 – 21 February 2011 Himself as Cardinal Priest Himself as Cardinal Deacon Cardinal Priest 'pro hac vice' of San Eustachio 21 February 2011 – 16 January 2024 Vacant
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