1. Leonardo Sandri was born on 18 November 1943 and is an Argentine prelate of the Catholic Church who has been a cardinal since November 2007 and vice dean of the College of Cardinals since January 2020.
20 Facts About Leonardo Sandri
1. 2.
Leonardo Sandri was prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches from 2007 to 2022.
3.
Leonardo Sandri served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See from 1974 to 1991 in several overseas assignments, including as a permanent observer of the Holy See before the Organization of American States from 1989 to 1991, and in Rome as Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State from 1999 to 2007.
4.
Leonardo Sandri studied humanities, philosophy and theology at the Metropolitan Seminary of Buenos Aires, and earned a Licentiate in Theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina.
5.
Leonardo Sandri served as curate of Nuestra Senora del Carmen in Villa Urquiza until 1970.
6.
Leonardo Sandri then studied at the Pontifical Gregorian University, where he obtained a doctorate in canon law, and the Pontifical Latin American College.
7.
In 1974, Leonardo Sandri became an official of the Apostolic Nunciature in Madagascar and Mauritius, which serves as the Apostolic Delegation in the islands of Comoros and Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
Related searches
Edward Cassidy 8.
Leonardo Sandri then served in the Vatican Secretariat of State, as secretary of the Substitute for General Affairs, including future cardinals Eduardo Martinez Somalo and Edward Cassidy from 1977 to 1989; and in the Apostolic Nunciature in the United States as permanent observer of the Holy See before the Organization of American States, from 1989 to 1991.
9.
Leonardo Sandri became regent of the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household on 22 August 1991 and assessor of the Section for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State on 2 April 1992.
10.
On 22 July 1997, Leonardo Sandri was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela and Titular Archbishop of Aemona by Pope John Paul II.
11.
Leonardo Sandri selected as his episcopal motto: "Ille Fidelis", meaning, "Leonardo Sandri remains faithful".
12.
Leonardo Sandri was the first Argentinian to hold the title of Apostolic Nuncio.
13.
On 11 October 2006, while still serving in his sensitive position in the Vatican Secretariat of State, Leonardo Sandri sent a letter to Father Boniface Ramsey, a New York City pastor who was a seminary professor from 1986 to 1996.
14.
On 9 June 2007, Leonardo Sandri was appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches by Pope Benedict XVI.
15.
Leonardo Sandri delivered the message of thanksgiving to the pope on behalf of the new cardinals on that occasion.
16.
Leonardo Sandri was mentioned in the press as papabile, a possible candidate for election to the papacy at the time of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013.
17.
Leonardo Sandri is a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, Pontifical Commission for Latin America and Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.
18.
On 12 June 2012 Cardinal Leonardo Sandri was appointed a member of the Congregation for Catholic Education.
19.
In June 2005 Archbishop Leonardo Sandri was awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
20.
Leonardo Sandri opted for the order of Cardinal Priests on 19 May 2018.