Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for the Oriental Churches, Grand Chancellor emeritus of the Pontifical Oriental Institute and Deputy Dean of the College of Carinales, was born on 18 November 1943 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to parents of Italian descent. He was ordained a priest on 2 December 1967 and holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University.

In 1971 he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy and in 1974 he served at the nunciature in Madagascar. From 1977 to 1989, he worked at the Secretariat of State. In 1989 he was posted to the United States as counsellor at the nunciature and served as papal representative at the Organization of American States.

On 22 August 1991 he became regent of the prefecture of the Pontifical Household and on 2 April 1992, assessor of the section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. On 22 July 1997 he was appointed titular Archbishop of Cittanova and Apostolic Nuncio in Venezuela. He was ordained a bishop on 11 October of that year.

On 1 March 2000 he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio in Mexico and later, on 16 September, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. On 9 June 2007 he succeeded Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud as prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.

He was a President Delegate of the Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Byshops (10-24 October 2010),"The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness. 'Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul' (Acts 4:32)".

He participated in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.

On 19 May 2018, the Holy Father Francis held an Ordinary Public Consistory for the canonization of some blessed.  

The Optatio of six Cardinals from the Order of Deacons to the Order of Presbyters followed.

At the request of Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the Diaconia of Ss. Biagio and Carlo ai Catinari has been elevated pro hac vice to Presbyteral Title.

On 24 January 2020, the Holy Father Francis approved the election, by Cardinals of the Order of Bishops of Cardinal, as Deputy Dean of the College of Cardinals.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by Benedict XVI in the consistory of 24 November 2007, of the Title of San Biagio e Carlo ai Catinari (Sts. Blaise and Charles ai Catinari), Deaconry elevated pro hac vice to presbyteral title (19 May 2018).

On 26 June 2018, with Rescriptum ex Audentia Ss.mi, the Holy Father Francis decided to co-opt Cardinal Leonardo Sandri in the Order of Bishops, equating him in all respects to the Cardinals who were given the Title of a suburbicarian Church.

Member of:

• Dicastery for Bishops.
  
• Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.
• Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.