VATICAN CITY (AP) — The papal ambassador to the United States Archbishop Pietro Sambi, who helped bring about a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and clerical sex abuse victims three years ago, has died in a U.S. hospital, the Vatican said Thursday.
Sambi, 73, died Wednesday in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore where he had been placed on assisted ventilation. He had undergone surgery two weeks ago and was readmiited to the hospital following post-operative complications.
The Italian prelate had served as papal representative in Washington since 2006, one of Pope Benedict XVI's first major appointees. Previous posts in the Vatican's diplomatic corps included Israel and Indonesia.
In his Washington assignment, Sambi helped arrange a meeting between abuse victims and Benedict, one of the highlights of the pope's 2008 visit to the United States.
Cardinal Sean O'Malley, who had been sent to Boston after the archdiocese was rocked by the scandal, had invited Benedict to the city. When Boston was not included in the trip, he worked with Sambi to bring Benedict and victims together in Washington.
The previous year, Sambi caused a stir when he described difficulties in Vatican-Israeli relations, blaming the Jewish state in an interview for failing to keep promises related to church land, taxes and travel restrictions on Arab clergy.
The Vatican said the interview was a reflection of his personal experiences during his former diplomatic posting.
we celebrated our birthday together at the vatican 2009
To our dearest Nuncio, Archbishop Pietro Sambi we missed you so much. Your memories will remain in our hearts and mind. You were more than a relative to us. I missed you calling on skype every sunday..
To the whole family of this wonderful person, we sincerely extend our condolences and thanks.
WE LOVE YOU...
Bernardita Tuy
March 19, 2014 | Manila, Philippines
May your soul find peace and joy with Our Lord and Lady in eternity
Denita Arnold
August 10, 2011 | Fort Worth, TX
You are a friend of peace and justice. You understood the Palestinian suffering and I am so lucky to have known you.
Thank you and you are a very special friend
Kathleen Egan
August 06, 2011 | Vienna, VA
May your arrival in Heaven continue your work in achieving the 'RE-OPENING" of the 14 parishes under Vatican Appeal in the Cleveland Ohio Diocese. We believe you have been our friend, may you be rewarded greatly for all your efforts.
Elaine Carroll
August 02, 2011 | Kerrville, TX
The humanity and holiness of Archbishop Sambi touched my life and inspired me greatly. What a kind and holy person he was, and a great homilist as well. My condolences to his family. May Archbishop Sambi's soul rest in perfect peace.
Sidney Jude Moormeister
August 01, 2011 | Salt Lake City, UT
A very special friend from our days in CUBA, have the inmense opportunity to share with him very many special times ... his passion for life and commiment to our Catholic Church , his devotion to the poor... while in Burundi and Nicaragua, his beautiful smile that will always bring comfort ... and his dedicated frienship to so many of us cubans in exile... has no paralell ....
A great friend of my father and my mother as we grew old... his passion for his town of Sogliano Al Rubicone......
July 29, 2011
A very special friend from our days in CUBA, have the inmense opportunity to share with him very many special times ... his passion for life and commiment to our Catholic Church , his devotion to the poor... while in Burundi and Nicaragua, his beautiful smile that will always bring comfort ... and his dedicated frienship to so many of us cubans in exile... has no paralell ....
A great friend of my father and my mother as we grew old... his passion for his town of Sogliano Al Rubicone......
Familia Pina
July 29, 2011 | Newport Beach, CA
Requiescat in pace Your Excellency. Like thousands of others I watched you and listened to your homilies on EWTN live telecasts from The National Shrine of The Immaculate Conception. You will be greatly missed.
Peter Kraft
July 29, 2011 | Hartford, CT
Prayer for a Deceased Priest, Archbishop Pietro Sambi
Among Your apostolic priests, O God, You honored Your servant Archbishop Pietro Sambi with the priestly dignity. Grant too, to number him always in their company. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Deus, qui inter apostolicos Sacerdotes, famulum tuum Archbishop Pietro Sambi sacerdotali fecisti dignitate vigere: praesta quaesumus; ut eorum quote perpetuo aggregetur consortio.
Salve, Regína, Mater...
Ted & Teresa Jankowski
July 29, 2011 | Windsor, ON