Pope Leo XIV Mourns Cardinal Paul Emil Tscherrig, died at 79

Pope Leo XIV has expressed deep sorrow following the death of Cardinal Paul Emil Tscherrig, the respected Swiss prelate and longtime Vatican diplomat, who died in Rome on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at the age of 79.

In a telegram of condolence addressed to the Cardinal’s family in Valais, Switzerland, the Holy Father extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved relatives and to the faithful of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion, where Cardinal Tscherrig was born and ordained to the priesthood.

Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to Cardinal Tscherrig’s decades of devoted service to the Catholic Church, recalling with gratitude his work as the Pope’s diplomatic representative in numerous countries and his later responsibilities within several departments of the Holy See.

“In all the offices entrusted to him, the late Cardinal acted generously, bearing witness to love of the Church and the Successor of Peter,” the Pope wrote.

The Holy Father also offered fervent prayers for the repose of the Cardinal’s soul, asking God to welcome him into “the light that never goes out.” Entrusting the deceased prelate to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, Pope Leo XIV imparted his Apostolic Blessing to all those mourning his sudden passing.

Born on February 3, 1947, in Unterems, Switzerland, Paul Emil Tscherrig was ordained a priest on April 11, 1974, for the Diocese of Sion. He pursued theological studies in Fribourg and Rome and earned a doctorate in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

He entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1978 and contributed to preparations for the international journeys of Pope John Paul II.

In 1996, Pope John Paul II appointed him Titular Archbishop of Voli and Apostolic Nuncio to Burundi. Over the following years, he served as papal representative in the Caribbean, South Korea, Mongolia, the Scandinavian countries, and Argentina, where he developed a close relationship with then-Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

In 2017, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Tscherrig as Apostolic Nuncio to Italy and the Republic of San Marino, making him the first non-Italian to hold that office. In recognition of his distinguished service, Pope Francis created him a cardinal on September 30, 2023, assigning him the title of Cardinal-Deacon of San Giuseppe in Via Trionfale.

In 2024, Cardinal Tscherrig was appointed to the Supervisory Commission of the Institute for the Works of Religion and served as a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. He also participated in the 2025 papal conclave, which elected Pope Leo XIV.

Remembered for his diplomatic skill, humility, and unwavering loyalty to the Church, Cardinal Paul Emil Tscherrig leaves behind a lasting legacy of faithful service to the Holy See and the universal Catholic Church.