Rafael Merry del Val

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Servant of God Rafael Merry del Val OL
Secretary of the Congregation of the Holy Office
Portrait by Giuseppe Felici, ca. 1914
Appointed	14 October 1914
Term ended	26 February 1930
Predecessor	Francesco Marchetti Selvaggiani
Successor	Raffaele Monaco La Valletta
Other post(s)	Cardinal-Priest of Santa Prassede (1903–1930) Archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica (1914–1930)
Orders
Ordination	30 December 1888
Consecration	6 May 1900 by Mariano Rampolla del Tindaro
Created cardinal	9 November 1903 by Pope Pius X
Rank	Cardinal-Priest
Personal details
Born	Rafael María José Pedro Francisco Borja Domingo Gerardo de la Santísima Trinidad Merry del Val y Zulueta (1865-10-10)10 October 1865 London, England, U.K.
Died	26 February 1930(1930-02-26) (aged 64) Vatican City
Denomination	Catholic (Roman Rite)
Previous post(s)	Apostolic Delegate to Canada (1897–1899) President of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy (1899–1903) Titular Archbishop of Nicaea (1900–1903) Secretary of the College of Cardinals (1903) Pro-Secretary of State (1903) Cardinal Secretary of State (1903–1914)
Motto	Da mihi animas, Cætera tolle (English "Give me souls, take the rest")
Coat of arms

Rafael Merry del Val y Zulueta, OL (10 October 1865 – 26 February 1930) was a Spanish Catholic bishop, Vatican official, and cardinal.

Before becoming a cardinal, he served as the secretary of the papal conclave of 1903 that elected Pope Pius X, who is said to have accepted his election through Merry del Val's encouragement. Pius X later appointed him as the Cardinal Secretary of State. Merry del Val's writings and example prompted greater popularity for the Litany of Humility, which was for some decades incorrectly attributed to him. He was greatly responsible to restoring the privileges to Hispanic countries, which honor him for the devotions and traditionalist practices he fostered by personally signing and executing their petitions to the Holy Office.

A cause for his canonization was opened in 1953 at the behest of Pope Pius XII. He now has the title Servant of God.