One of the chief aides to Pope St. John Paul II, Cardinal Martínez Somalo was coordinated the work of the Roman Curia as Sostituto (Substitute) for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State from 1979 to 1988. He later became Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments (1988-92), Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (1992-2004), and Camerlengo (Chamberlain) of the Holy Roman Church (1993-2007).