Eduardo Martínez Somalo
His Eminence Eduardo Martínez Somalo | |
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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 |
Baños de Río Tobía, Spain | 31 March 1927
Nationality | Spanish |
Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Coat of arms |
Styles of Eduardo Martínez Somalo | |
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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 Somalo 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
He 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
He 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. In 1979 Pope John Paul II appointed him to the Secretariat of State.
Cardinal
In the consistory of 28 June 1988, he was created Cardinal-Deacon of SS. Nome di Gesù by Pope John Paul II, and on 1 July of that year he was appointed to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
He served as 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
Somalo became Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life on 21 January 1992. He was also Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Roman Curia. He was a close collaborator of Pope John Paul II.
Camerlengo
He was named Chamberlain of the Roman Church, or Camerlengo, on 5 April 1993, an office of special importance during vacancy of the Holy See. He served in that position until his 80th birthday. He was Camerlengo during the 2005 Vacancy of the Holy See.
Retirement
He retired on 11 February 2004, and participated as a Cardinal elector in the 2005 Papal conclave. He ceased to be Camerlengo on his 80th birthday, and was succeeded by Tarcisio Bertone, who also served as Secretary of State. On his 80th birthday, he also lost the right to participate in future conclaves.
External links
Catholic Church titles | ||
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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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