Archbishop Pietro Sambi to Lead May 20 Commencement Exercises Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, will give the commencement address at the Mount’s 199th Commencement Exercises. Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Sambi as apostolic nuncio in the United States of America and permanent observer to the Organization of American States in December 2005. A nuncio represents the Holy Father to both the hierarchy and church of a particular nation and to that nation’s civil government. Archbishop Sambi was born June 27, 1938, in Sogliano al Rubicone, Forlí, 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 transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature in Jerusalem on July 19, 1971, and subsequently to the Apostolic Nunciatures in Cuba in 1974, in Algeria in 1978, in Nicaragua in 1979, in Belgium in 1981, and then in India in May 1984 with the rank of counselor. Archbishop Sambi was consecrated as bishop and made titular archbishop of Belcastro on Nov. 9, 1985. He was nominated apostolic pro-nuncio in Burundi in 1985, apostolic pro-nuncio in Indonesia in 1991, and apostolic nuncio in Israel and Cyprus, and apostolic delegate in Jerusalem and Palestine, in 1998. Archbishop Sambi speaks Italian, English, French and Spanish. | 
