Cardinal Renato Martino, longtime Vatican diplomat, dies at 91

CNA Staff, Oct 28, 2024 / 16:45 pm

Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, who served for 16 years as the top Vatican diplomat to the United Nations and headed up two key pontifical councils in Rome for several years, died on Monday at age 91.

The prelate died in Rome, according to Vatican News.

The president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace from 2002–2009 and of the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People from 2006–2009, Martino held those titles emeriti at the time of his death.

He also served as cardinal protodeacon from 2014 until his death. The senior cardinal deacon in the College of Cardinals, the protodeacon is given the responsibility of the “habemus papam” (announcing the election of a new pope) and also bestows the papal pallium on the new pontiff at the papal inauguration.

Martino was born in Salerno, Italy, on Nov. 23, 1932, and was ordained a priest on June 20, 1957. He held a degree in canon law and spoke five languages.

The cardinal held the title of titular archbishop of Segermes from 1980–2003. Known for his lengthy and distinguished diplomatic career, he served as permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations from Dec. 3, 1986, to Oct. 1 — the longest any diplomat has held that position since its creation in 1964.

In addition to his work at the U.N., Martino held multiple nuncio positions in Asia, serving as a Vatican diplomat in Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam.

He was made a cardinal in 2003 by Pope John Paul II and participated in the 2005 papal conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI.

Martino also served as honorary president of the Dignitatis Humanae Institute from 2010–2019.

The prelate was known at times for his outspoken defense of Catholic beliefs in the political sphere. He criticized the death sentence given to Saddam Hussein as “punishing a crime with another crime” and described a planned stretch of U.S. border wall by the George W. Bush administration as “inhumane.”

Martino was also known for helping to develop and promulgate the Vatican’s 2007 “Guidelines for the Pastoral Care of the Road,” commonly called the “10 Commandments for Drivers,” issued by the pontifical migrant council when Martino was president. The document directs drivers to exhibit “courtesy, uprightness, and prudence” while driving and orders drivers to treat the road as a “means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.”

Martino’s funeral will be held on Oct. 30 at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica. The liturgy will be celebrated by College of Cardinals Dean Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

At the funeral, Pope Francis will preside over the rites of Ultima Commendatio and Valedictio, according to Vatican News.