Sergio Sebastiani | |
|---|---|
| President Emeritus of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See | |
 Sebastiani in 2009 | |
| Church | RomanCatholic 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)[a] |
| Previous posts |
|
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 15 July 1956 by Norberto Pirini |
| Consecration | 30 October 1976 by Jean-Marie Villot |
| Created cardinal | 21 February 2001 byPope John Paul II |
| Rank | Cardinal Deacon (2001–2011) Cardinal Priest (2011–2024) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sergio Sebastiani (1931-04-11)11 April 1931 |
| Died | 16 January 2024(2024-01-16) (aged 92) Rome, Italy |
| Alma mater | |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Styles of Sergio Sebastiani | |
|---|---|
| |
| Reference style | His Eminence |
| Spoken style | Your Eminence |
| Informal style | Cardinal |
| See | Caesarea in Mauretania (titular) |
Sergio Sebastiani (11 April 1931 – 16 January 2024) was an Italianprelate of theCatholic Church who was head of thePrefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See from 1997 to 2008. He was made acardinal in 2001. From 1960 to 1994 he worked in the diplomatic service of theHoly See, becoming an archbishop andapostolic nuncio in 1976 and leading the offices representing the Vatican in Madagascar, Mauritius, and Turkey.
Sergio Sebastiani was born inMontemonaco, Italy. He studied at the Episcopal Seminary of Ascoli Piceno and later at the Archiepiscopal Seminary ofFermo. He continued his studies at thePontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he earned hislicentiate intheology and at thePontifical Lateran University where he was awarded a doctorate incanon law. He was ordained on 15 July 1956 in Fermo. After this, he studied in Rome until 1960.
Sebastiani served as secretary ofnunciature in Perú, 1960–1962; innunciature 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 ofnunciature in France with special charge before theCouncil of Europe, 1974–1976. He was createdPrelate of honour on 30 April 1974.[1][2]
On 27 September 1976,Pope Paul VI appointed himTitular Archbishop ofCaesarea in Mauretania andApostolic Pro-Nuncio toMadagascar.[3] He added Apostolic Pro-Nuncio toMauritius on 24 November.[4] Sebastiani becameApostolic Pro-Nuncio to Turkey on 8 January 1985.[5] In 1994, he was appointed General Secretary of the Central Committee for the GreatJubilee of the Year 2000.[6] From 2 May 1996[7] to 3 November 1997,[8] he was president ofPeregrinatio ad Petri Sedem, the Vatican agency that promotes and supports pilgrims on their visits to Rome.
In 1997, Sebastiani was made President of thePrefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, part of theRoman Curia, responsible for auditing the temporal possessions of theHoly See. He served in this position until his resignation on 12 April 2008. Pope Benedict XVI namedVelasio De Paolis as Sebastiani's successor.[9]
Sebastiani was createdCardinal-Deacon ofS. Eustachio on 21 February 2001, and was one of thecardinal electors who participated in the2005 papal conclave that selectedPope 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.[10]
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,[11] one of many private organizations mimicking theSovereign Military Order of Malta.
Sebastiani died on 16 January 2024, at the age of 92.[12]
| Diplomatic posts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Madagascar 27 September 1976 – 8 January 1985 | Succeeded by |
| Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Mauritius 27 September 1976 – 8 January 1985 | ||
| Preceded by | Apostolic Nuncio to Turkey 8 January 1985 – 16 November 1994 | Succeeded by |
| Catholic Church titles | ||
| Preceded by Giuseppe Moizo | — TITULAR — Titular Archbishop of Cesarea in Mauretania 27 September 1976 – 21 February 2001 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the Peregrinatio ad Petri Sedem 2 May 1996 – 3 November 1997 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See 3 November 1997 – 12 April 2008 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | 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 |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
