Tomko Josef

Jozef Tomko was born on 11 March 1924 in Udavské (Slovakia). He studied at the faculty of theology of Bratislava and then at the Pontifical Lateran University and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he earned doctorates in theology, canon law and social sciences.

On 12 March 1949 he was ordained a priest and from 1950 to 1965 he was vice rector of the Pontifical Nepomuceno College.

From 1962 he served as an assistant and from 1966 he was head of the doctrinal office of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith. In that period he was chosen as one of the special secretaries for the first synodal assembly of 1967.

In December 1974 he was named under-secretary of the Congregation for Bishops.

On 12 July 1979 he was named Secretary general of the Synod of Bishops. Contemporarily he was elected titular Archbishop of Doclea.

He will receive his episcopal ordination on the next 15 September, feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, Patroness of Slovakia.