Former Slovak Prelate Cardinal Jozef Tomko passed away at the age of 98. The news of his death has been the talk of the internet.
The Slovak Prelate Cardinal Jozef’s death was confirmed on Monday, August 8, 2022.
The news of the demise of the Slovakian-born cardinal has left people devasted and the sorrow-filled people dejected.
The wake of the news has people restless to know about the very reason why such an important personality is no longer with us. People worldwide are mourning the loss of the former Slovak Prelate.
Jozef Tomko Death Cause – How did The Slovak Prelate Of The Catholic Church Die?
The death of the Slovak Prelate Cardinal Jozef Tomko came unprepared. On Monday, August 8, at 5 a.m. in Rome, Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, passed away at 98.
On June 25, 2022, he had a cervical spine injury and was admitted to Gemelli Medical Center. Even though he was discharged from the hospital on August 6, he passed away on August 8, 2022.
The Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul looked after Cardinal Tomko in his Rome residence until his death. During his stay at the hospital, it came noticed that Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state for the Vatican, had visited him.
The exact reason for his death is still unknown and has not been revealed yet. The news caused an uproar in people and a flood of condolences. Various people came forward to sing praises and show their grief for the late Slovakian Cardinal Josef Tomko.
After the news of the death was announced, The Conference of Slovak Bishops encouraged the faithful to come and pray for the Cardinal’s soul’s peace. The date will be revealed when the funerals in Rome and Kosice will occur.
Know more about Cardinal Jozef Tomko
Jozef Tomko was born on March 11th, 1924 in Udavske, Czechoslovakia, not far from Humenne. He was the oldest member of the Vatican’s College of Cardinals.
Slovak Catholic bishop Tomko served in the Roman Curia from 1962 until his retirement in 2007. From 1985 to 2001, he served as the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples’ perfect, and from 2001 to 2007; he served as the Pontifical Committee for International Eucharistic Congresses’ president. In 1985, he was appointed a cardinal.
He spent 37 years as a Cardinal and was elevated to the position of cardinal by St. Pope John Paul II in May 1985. He served his institution as its secretary general for six years after being a cardinal.
He enrolled in the Bratislava Theological Faculty in 1943. Then, he traveled to Rome to receive his doctorates in theology, canon law, and social sciences at the Pontifical Lateran Athenaeum and Pontifical Gregorian University.
On March 12, 1949, at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, Archbishop Luigi Traglia ordained Tomko to the priesthood.
He completed his education as a priest, performed pastoral duties, and eventually held the positions of vice-rector and rector of the Pontifical College Nepomucenum, a theological college for men from the Czech Republic.
He was one of the founding members of The Slovak Institute of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Rome. He worked as an assistant in the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith’s doctrinal office starting in 1962. Since 1966, he has been the office’s director. He was selected as one of the special secretaries for the 1967 first synodal assembly.
In 1974, he was appointed Undersecretary of the Bishops’ Congregation. From 1970 to 1977, he served as a guest lecturer at Gregorian University.