Leonardo Sandri facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Eminence Leonardo Sandri |
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| Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches | |
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Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 11 October 2014
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| Appointed | 9 June 2007 |
| Reign ended | 21 November 2022 |
| Predecessor | Ignatius Daoud |
| Successor | Claudio Gugerotti |
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| Ordination | 2 December 1967 |
| Consecration | 11 October 1997 by Angelo Sodano |
| Created Cardinal | 24 November 2007 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 November 1943 Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Previous post |
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| Motto | Ille fidelis (He remains faithful; 2 Timothy 2:13) |
| Coat of arms |  |
Leonardo Sandri, born on November 18, 1943, is an important leader in the Catholic Church from Argentina. He became a Cardinal in November 2007. Since January 2020, he has been the Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals, which is a group of senior cardinals who advise the Pope.
From 2007 to 2022, Cardinal Sandri was the head of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches. This group helps manage matters related to the Eastern Catholic Churches around the world. Before that, he worked for the Holy See (the government of the Catholic Church) as a diplomat from 1974 to 1991. He also served in a high-ranking role in the Vatican's main office from 1999 to 2007.
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Early Life and Education
Leonardo Sandri was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His parents, Antonio Enrico Sandri and Nella Righi, had moved to Argentina from a village in Italy called Ala.
He studied important subjects like history, philosophy, and theology at the Metropolitan Seminary of Buenos Aires. He also earned a special degree in theology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina. On December 2, 1967, he became a priest, ordained by Archbishop Juan Carlos Aramburu. He then worked as the Archbishop's secretary.
After this, he continued his studies in Rome. He earned a doctorate degree in church law from the Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1971, he joined the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, a special school that trains future papal diplomats.
Working for the Vatican
Diplomatic Service
In 1974, Sandri began his career as a diplomat for the Vatican. He worked in Madagascar and Mauritius, and also helped with church matters in the islands of Comoros and Réunion.
Later, he worked in the main office of the Vatican, called the Secretariat of State. From 1989 to 1991, he served in the Vatican's office in the United States. There, he was a permanent observer for the Holy See at the Organization of American States.
On July 22, 1997, Pope John Paul II appointed Sandri as the Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela. This means he was the Pope's official representative in Venezuela. He also became an Archbishop. On October 11, 1997, he was consecrated as a bishop by Cardinal Angelo Sodano. His motto as a bishop was "Ille Fidelis", which means "He (Christ) remains faithful."
After two years in Venezuela, he was named the Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico on March 1, 2000.
Key Role in the Vatican
On September 16, 2000, Cardinal Sandri took on a very important role in the Vatican. He became the Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State. This position is like being the chief of staff for the Vatican's main office.
As Pope John Paul II's health became weaker, Sandri often read speeches and texts that the Pope could not deliver himself. On April 2, 2005, it was Sandri who announced the Pope's death to the world from Saint Peter's Square. He said, "We all feel like orphans this evening."
Leading the Eastern Churches
On June 9, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Sandri as the prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. This is a very important department in the Vatican that deals with the Eastern Catholic Churches. These churches have their own traditions and ways of worship, but they are still part of the Catholic Church. As prefect, he also became the Grand Chancellor of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, a school that studies Eastern Christian traditions.
Cardinal Sandri visited the Holy Land in February 2008. He spoke about how Christians were leaving the region because of conflict. In 2014, he asked for an end to the forced removal of Christians from Iraq and Syria. He noted that many Christians had to leave their homes and were living in difficult conditions.
In November 2014, the Vatican made a change regarding Eastern Catholic churches outside their traditional areas. It allowed married men to be ordained as priests in these churches in places like the United States and Canada. Cardinal Sandri signed the document that made this change.
Becoming a Cardinal
Pope Benedict XVI made Leonardo Sandri a Cardinal on November 24, 2007. He became a Cardinal-Deacon of San Carlo ai Catinari, which is a church in Rome. On that day, he gave a speech to the Pope on behalf of all the new cardinals.
In April 2008, Cardinal Sandri mentioned that Christians in Iraq felt more secure and could practice their faith more easily under the previous government, even though it was a dictatorship.
When Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, Cardinal Sandri was mentioned as a possible candidate to become the next Pope.
Cardinal Sandri is also a member of several other important Vatican departments. These include groups that deal with faith, spreading the Christian message, promoting unity among Christians, and interreligious dialogue.
In June 2005, he received a high honor from Italy called the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic.
On May 19, 2018, he chose to become a Cardinal Priest. Then, on June 28, 2018, Pope Francis raised him to the even higher rank of Cardinal Bishop. On January 24, 2020, he was approved as the Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals. This means that if a new Pope needs to be chosen before his 80th birthday, he would lead the meeting where the cardinals vote.
On November 21, 2022, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti to take over Cardinal Sandri's role as prefect of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.
Images for kids
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Cardinal Leonardo Sandri in 2008
See also
In Spanish: Leonardo Sandri para niños
