Salvatore Colombo
Encyclopedia
The Most Rev. Dr. Pietro Salvatore Monsignor
Colombo, O.F.M., Bishop
of Mogadiscio, was born 28 October 1922 in Carate Brianza, Italy
. He was murdered on 9 July 1989 in Mogadishu
, Somalia
.
, Italy
, until his death 43 years later. He was appointed as the first Bishop
of Mogadishu in 1975, and ordained as Bishop of Mogadishu on 16 March 1976.
Bishop Colombo was well regarded by non-Catholics, whether Muslim
or secular. Bishop Colombo was known for his pragmatic oversight of aid projects, making sure that aid projects could operate after the foreign aid workers went home. The government
of President
Siad Barre
did not tolerate proselytizing, but was comfortable with the humanitarian aid dispensed by the Church.
Bishop Colombo was killed in his cathedral
by an unknown assassin
. President Barre blamed radical Islamists and offered a bounty for their capture. But many people believed that Barre had ordered the assassination, perhaps because Bishop Colombo had been critical of the Barre regime or perhaps because Barre wanted a scapegoat which would increase military and other aid from Western governments, or perhaps because Bishop Colombo had helped a clan which was out of favor with Barre purchase some land. To this day, the controversy of who killed Bishop Colombo persists although his murder is seen as a turning point for Islamic/secular relations because of the severe crackdown by Barre in response to the murder.
No bishop has been appointed for Mogadishu since Monsignor
Colombo's death. Currently, the welfare of Catholics in Somalia is overseen by an Apostolic Administrator
. Dr. Giorgio Bertin, who is also th the Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu.
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Colombo, O.F.M., Bishop
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
of Mogadiscio, was born 28 October 1922 in Carate Brianza, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He was murdered on 9 July 1989 in Mogadishu
Mogadishu
Mogadishu , popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries....
, Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
.
Biography
He served the people of Somalia from 1946, after he had been ordained a priest in MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, until his death 43 years later. He was appointed as the first Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Mogadishu in 1975, and ordained as Bishop of Mogadishu on 16 March 1976.
Bishop Colombo was well regarded by non-Catholics, whether Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
or secular. Bishop Colombo was known for his pragmatic oversight of aid projects, making sure that aid projects could operate after the foreign aid workers went home. The government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Siad Barre
Siad Barre
Mohamed Siad Barre was the military dictator and President of the Somali Democratic Republic from 1969 to 1991. During his rule, he styled himself as Jaalle Siyaad ....
did not tolerate proselytizing, but was comfortable with the humanitarian aid dispensed by the Church.
Bishop Colombo was killed in his cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
by an unknown assassin
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
. President Barre blamed radical Islamists and offered a bounty for their capture. But many people believed that Barre had ordered the assassination, perhaps because Bishop Colombo had been critical of the Barre regime or perhaps because Barre wanted a scapegoat which would increase military and other aid from Western governments, or perhaps because Bishop Colombo had helped a clan which was out of favor with Barre purchase some land. To this day, the controversy of who killed Bishop Colombo persists although his murder is seen as a turning point for Islamic/secular relations because of the severe crackdown by Barre in response to the murder.
No bishop has been appointed for Mogadishu since Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Colombo's death. Currently, the welfare of Catholics in Somalia is overseen by an Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
. Dr. Giorgio Bertin, who is also th the Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu.
See also
- Italian SomaliansItalian SomaliansItalian Somalis or Italo Somalis are Somali descendants from Italian colonists, as well as Italian long-term residents in Somalia.- History :...