Quick Facts
Biography
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.