of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office on 14 October 1914. For a man who had been an exceptionally young Secretary of State, the Congregation was considered a lesser (though important) assignment. The Pope did not appoint Merry del Val as Prefect, because at the time the Popes themselves were Prefects of the Holy Office. The post of Secretary was then the highest-ranking office in the Dicastery. Merry del Val as secretary was responsible for running the daily affairs of the Holy Office, in which capacity he reportedly explained the Papal policy of non possumus to Theodor Herzl and the emerging movement of Zionism, saying that as long as Jews denied Christ's divinity, the Church could not make a declaration in their favor. When the British Catholic diplomat Mark Sykes visited Merry del Val to speak about the same topic, the Cardinal was somewhat more supportive. He told Sykes that the Holy See would look benignly on the project. After the death of Benedict XV (22 January 1922), Merry del Val was retained by Pius XI in the role of Secretary of the Holy Office. This post he held until 26 February 1930, when he died unexpectedly in Vatican City, aged 64, during an operation for appendicitis. The funeral took place in St Peter's Basilica on 3 March 1930 and the Cardinal was buried in the crypt. On 31 July 1931, a new tomb, gift of the Spanish government, was dedicated by Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, the future Pope Pius XII. Veneration The cause of Merry del Val's canonization was introduced on 26 February 1953, under the pontificate of Pope Pius XII. He therefore has the honorific title, Servant of God. Honours (1906) - Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold. Works (partial list) Notes Citations External links Entry at Catholic-Hierarchy.org site Biography at The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church site Cardinal Merry del Val 1865 births 1930 deaths Spanish untitled nobility 20th-century Spanish cardinals Apostolic Nuncios to Canada 20th-century Roman Catholic titular archbishops Venerated Catholics Spanish Roman Catholic titular archbishops 20th-century venerated Christians Cardinal Secretaries of State Members of the Holy Office Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumni Pontifical Gregorian University alumni Burials at St. Peter's Basilica Cardinals created by Pope Pius X Spanish Servants of God Presidents of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy Alumni of Ushaw College