New Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church

VATICN CITY, APRIL 4, 2007 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI named Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, as the new chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church.

The Pope accepted the resignation of Cardinal Eduardo Martínez Somalo, who turned 80 on March 31, and had held the position since 1993.

The chamberlain takes charge of the goods and temporal affairs of the Holy See between the death of one Pope and the election of the next.

In a letter written to Cardinal Martínez, the Pope expressed his "thanks for the diligence, competence and love with which you have fulfilled this work of service for the Holy See and the universal Church."

The Holy Father particularly mentioned "sincere appreciation for the great dignity and solemn sobriety with which you carried out the role of chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church in the moment of the pious passing away of Pope John Paul II, for the extraordinary manifestation of faith during the funeral of the beloved Pontiff, during the whole period of the vacant See and in the fulfillment of the tasks of the conclave to elect the new Pope."