Salvatore Colombo

Pietro Salvatore Colombo, O.F.M. (October 28, 1922 - July 9, 1989) was the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mogadiscio (Somalia) from 1976 until his assassination.

Life and church

Colombo was born in Carate Brianza, near Milan. He served the people of Somalia from 1946, after he had been ordained a priest in Milan, 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.[1]

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.[2]

Bishop Colombo was killed in his cathedral by an unknown assassin. President Barre blamed radical Islamists and offered a bounty for their capture.[3] But many people believed that Barre had ordered the assassination, perhaps because Bishop Colombo had been critical of the Barre regime[4] or perhaps because Barre wanted a scapegoat which would increase military and other aid from Western governments,[5] or perhaps because Bishop Colombo had helped a clan which was out of favor with Barre purchase some land.[6] 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 the Apostolic Administrator of Mogadishu.

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Catholic Hierarchy
  2. ↑ "Safirka: Envoy to Somalia". Peter Bridges American Diplomacy, Volume III, No.2, 1998
  3. ↑ Religious Freedom in the Majority Islamic Countries, 1998 Report, Aid to the Church in Need, Alleanza Cattolica
  4. ↑ "The Harrying of the Hawiye", A Country Study: Somalia. Helen Chapin Metz, ed. Government Printing Office, 1993
  5. ↑ "Somalia: the State is Reborn". Davide Malacaria and Giovanni Cubeddu. 30 Days, Nov. 2004
  6. ↑ "Former Somali Government Killed Bishop, Christians Charge" Catholic World News July 16, 2003


Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Antonio Silvio Zocchetta
as Vicar Apostolic		 Bishop of Mogadiscio
1975 – 1989 		Succeeded by
Giorgio Bertin
as Apostolic Administrator