Pope Francis is mourning the loss of Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, who passed away on 28 October in Rome at the age of 91. The Pope described Cardinal Martino as a “fervent pastor who served the Gospel and the Church” and expressed his deepest condolences to his family. Cardinal Martino had a distinguished career, serving as Apostolic Nuncio in several Asian countries and at the United Nations, where he worked tirelessly to promote dialogue and harmony.
Born on 23 November 1932, in Salerno, Italy, Cardinal Martino was ordained a priest in 1957 and entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See five years later. He held various positions, including Pro-Apostolic Nuncio to Thailand and Apostolic Delegate to Singapore, Malaysia, and Laos. In 1986, he became the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York.
Cardinal Martino was created Cardinal Deacon of San Francesco di Paola ai Monti in 2003 and served as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People. He resigned from these positions in 2009 but continued to serve as Cardinal Protodeacon since 2014.
Pope Francis praised Cardinal Martino’s dedication to the well-being of the population, noting that he worked with great dynamism to promote dialogue and harmony. The Pope asked the Lord to welcome Cardinal Martino and imparted his heartfelt blessing to those mourning his departure.