Eduardo Martínez Somalo

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Martínez and the second or maternal family name is Somalo.
His Eminence
Eduardo Martínez Somalo
Chamberlain Emeritus of the Apostolic Chamber
Appointed 5 April 1993
Term ended 4 April 2007
Predecessor Sebastiano Baggio
Successor Tarcisio Bertone SDB
Other posts Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (1992–2004)
Orders
Ordination 19 March 1950
by Luigi Traglia
Consecration 13 December 1975
by Jean-Marie Villot
Created Cardinal 28 June 1988
Personal details
Birth name Eduardo Martínez Somalo
Born (1927-03-31) 31 March 1927
Baños de Río Tobía, Spain
Nationality Spanish
Denomination Roman Catholic
Coat of arms {{{coat_of_arms_alt}}}
Styles of
Eduardo Martínez Somalo
Reference style His Eminence
Spoken style Your Eminence
Informal style Cardinal
See Thagora (titular see)

Eduardo Martínez Somalo (born 31 March 1927) is a Spanish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.

Biography

Early life and ordination

Martínez was born in the small town of Baños de Río Tobía in La Rioja, one of 10 siblings. He studied at the diocesan seminary of Logroño, the Pontifical Spanish College and the Pontifical Gregorian University (where he received licentiates in theology and in canon law) in Rome. He was ordained to the priesthood on 19 March 1950 by Archbishop Luigi Traglia.

Pastoral work

Martínez did pastoral and curial work in Calahorra. Returning to Rome to prepare to serve as a Vatican diplomat, he attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (where he later taught as a professor) and obtained a doctorate in canon law in (1956) from the Pontifical Lateran University.

He then entered the Roman Curia, in the Secretariat of State; he later advanced to the head the Spanish section. He was elevated to the rank of Monsignor on 14 May 1970. Pope Paul VI appointed him Apostolic Nuncio to Colombia and elevated him to Titular Archbishop of Thagora.

Bishop

Martínez received his episcopal consecration on 13 December 1975, from Jean-Marie Villot, then Secretary of State, with Archbishop Giovanni Benelli and Bishop Francisco Álvarez Martínez serving as co-consecrators. On 5 May 1979 Pope John Paul II, to whom Martínez was already known, appointed him Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. He was to be a close collaborator of Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal

In the consistory of 28 June 1988, Martínez was created Cardinal-Deacon of SS. Nome di Gesù by Pope John Paul II, and on 1 July of that year he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

He was Cardinal protodeacon from 29 January 1996 to 9 January 1999.

Curial prefect

Martínez became Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on 21 January 1992, remaining in the post till 11 February 2004.

Camerlengo

On 5 April 1993 Martínez was named Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, an office of special importance when the papacy is vacant. He served in that position until his 80th birthday. He was Camerlengo in 2005 when the papacy was vacant following the death of Pope John Paul II.

Retirement

Martínez retired as Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on 11 February 2004. He participated as a Cardinal elector in the 2005 Papal conclave, but he lost the right to participate in future conclaves on his 80th birthday. On his 80th birthday he also ceased to be Camerlengo, and was succeeded in that post by Tarcisio Bertone, who also served as Secretary of State.

External links

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by
Giuseppe Caprio
Substitute for General Affairs
5 May 1979–23 March 1988
Succeeded by
Edward Idris Cassidy
Preceded by
Paul Mayer
Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
1988–1992
Succeeded by
Antonio María Javierre Ortas
Preceded by
Jean Jerome Cardinal Hamer, OP
Prefect of Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and for Societies of Apostolic Life
21 January 1992 – 11 February 2004)
Succeeded by
Franc Cardinal Rode, CM
Preceded by
Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy
Cardinal Protodeacon
29 January 1996–9 January 1999
Succeeded by
Pio Laghi
Preceded by
Sebastiano Baggio
Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church
1993–2007
Succeeded by
Tarcisio Bertone
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