A surgical instrument has a suture passer/advancer and a suture retriever manipulated from a common handle. The retriever is preferably a loop that closes around the suture advanced through it by the advancer. The loop is retracted to draw it around the suture. The passer/advancer has a fork-like distal end to readily advance and let go of the suture after it is in the loop of the retriever. The advancer and retriever can be manipulated longitudinally and rotationally with respect to a tubular body through which they extend so that the suture retriever can be passed through a needle pierced through tissue to be sutured, and the suture may be advanced and guided into the retriever loop to be gripped. Retracting the instrument will cause one end of the suture to be pulled retrograde through the tissue.