Eduardo Martínez 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	31 March 1927 Baños de Río Tobía, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Coat of arms

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 or Chamberlain, an office of special importance during vacancy of the Holy See. He served in that position until his 80th birthday and hence was Camerlengo during the 2005 Vacancy of the Holy See.

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

• Letter to Cardinal Martínez Somalo from Pope Benedict on his resignation as Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church