Teodolfo Mertel

Teodolfo Mertel (9 February 1806 – 11 July 1899) was a lawyer, deacon, and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the last cardinal not to have been ordained at least a priest.

Life He was born in the town of Allumiere, in the Province of Lazio, then part of the Papal States, the son of Isidore Mertel, a baker from Bavaria. As a boy he studied at the local parish school, operated by the Capuchin friars in Tolfa. He then studied at the seminary in Montefiascone. After he completed his study of the humanities there, he attended the Sapienza University of Rome, where he was granted a doctorate in both civil and canon law on 16 July 1828.

Mertel became a lawyer of the Roman Curia in 1831, where he was quickly promoted to the position of judge, then to Auditor of the Papal Treasury. He rose his way through the ranks of the Curia. Among his posts was that of Prefect of the Congregation of St. Ives, a society of lawyers and procurators, providing pro bono defense of the poor in the courts. since the Cardinal Protodeacon, Prospero Caterini, was unable to do so due to illness. In 1881 he became the Cardinal Protodeacon upon the death of Cardinal Caterini and he also chose to have his title changed to that of the Church of Santa Maria in Via Lata formerly held by the late cardinal.

Pope Leo named Mertel the Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church in 1884, a post which he held until his death.