Pope names veteran Vatican diplomat as new U.S. papal nuncio

Published: 2005-12-19

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI named a veteran Vatican diplomat, Italian Archbishop Pietro Sambi, to be the new papal nuncio to the United States. Archbishop Sambi, 67, has served as the Vatican's representative to Israel and Palestine, where he helped arrange Pope John Paul II's historic pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000. He replaces Colombian Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, who was retiring at age 75 after serving as nuncio in Washington since 1998. The Vatican announced the appointment Dec. 17. Archbishop Sambi is known in church circles as an energetic and gregarious man with an ability to bring the human touch to diplomatic challenges. He speaks Italian, English, French and Spanish. In a statement welcoming the appointment, Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the pope had honored the United States by appointing such an experienced prelate.

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