Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val

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The Servant of God Rafael Cardinal Merry del Val y Zulueta (October 10, 1865 – February 26, 1930) was a Roman Catholic Cardinal (Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede) from 1903 until his death. He was born in London to Josefina de Zulueta and Rafael Merry del Val, Marquis of Merry del Val, a Spanish diplomat and nobleman of partial Irish ancestry, and lived in the United Kingdom until 1878.

He was ordained a priest on October 30, 1888, after achieving a doctorate in philosophy at the Pontifical Gregorian University, which he later followed up with a doctorate in theology and licentiate in Canon law. In 1891 he became a privy chamberlain and member of the Pontifical Family, having served as a secretary in nunciatures. His continued service in the diplomatic service and Roman Curia saw him named Apostolic Delegate to Canada and domestic prelate in 1897, and President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1899.

He was appointed Titular Archbishop of Nicaea on April 19, 1900 and consecrated a bishop by Mariano Cardinal Rampolla. He served as secretary of the conclave of 1903 that elected Pope Pius X, and almost immediately thereafter was named pro-Secretary of State by the new Pope. That November he became the first Cardinal elevated by the Pope (a traditional reward to the secretary of a conclave) and full Cardinal Secretary of State, replacing Rampolla.

He remained Secretary of State throughout the pontificate of Pius X, and when Pope Benedict XV, an old associate of Rampolla, was elected in the conclave of 1914 he was not reappointed.

From 1907's Pascendi Dominici Gregis until 1914 Merry del Val also was active in combatting modernism among the clergy, especially among the university professors who spreaded this immanentist collection of heresies.

However, Benedict appointed him Secretary of the Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office on October 14, 1914 in succession to his replacement as Secretary of State, Domenico Cardinal Ferrata, who had in turn replaced Rampolla in that position on Rampolla's death. The post of Secretary was then the highest ranking office of the Congregation after the Pope, who held the title of Prefect himself. The secretary, however, was reponsible for running the daily affairs of the Holy Office.

Merry del Val was confirmed in the position of Secretary of the Holy Office upon the election of Pope Pius XI in 1922, and remained in this position for the rest of his life.

He died on February 26, 1930 of appendicitis. He is buried in the popes' crypt in St. Peter's Basilica.