SAMBI, Pietro

Archbishop Pietro SambiThe Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., His Excellency, DD, was born June 27, 1938, in Sogliano sul Rubicone, Forli, Italy. He was incardinated in the Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro and ordained a priest on March 14, 1964. He has a Doctorate in Sacred Theology and in Canon Law.

He started his service in the Diplomatic Corps of the Holy See in April, 1969, in Cameroon. He was nominated Pro-Apostolic Nuncio in Burundi on October 10, 1985, Pro-Apostolic Nuncio in Indonesia on November 28, 1991, and Apostolic Nuncio in Israel and Cyprus, and Apostolic Delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine on June 6, 1998. Archbishop Sambi speaks Italian, English, French and Spanish.

As Nuncio he represents the Holy Father to both the hierarchy and Church of a particular nation and to that nation’s civil government. As the former Apostolic Nuncio to Israel (1998- 2005), Archbishop Sambi is very familiar not only with the problems facing the Christians in the Holy Land but with the work of the FFHL and their attempts to stem the Christian exodus.