Key facts
- Pope Leo XIV appointed Sister Alessandra Smerilli to lead the Vatican office for migrants, the environment, and development.
- Smerilli is the first woman appointed to such a high-level position within the Holy See hierarchy by Pope Leo XIV.
- Cardinal Fabio Baggio will serve as 'pro-prefect' alongside Smerilli.
- The appointment follows Pope Francis's trend of promoting women to management roles within the Holy See.
- Pope Leo XIV is also scheduled to visit Lampedusa, a migrant hotspot, on July 4.
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Italian Sister Alessandra Smerilli as the head of the Vatican office responsible for migrants, the environment, and development. This marks the pontiff's first major appointment of a woman to a high-ranking position within the Holy See hierarchy. Smerilli, an economist, currently serves as the second-in-command at the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and will replace the retiring Cardinal Michael Czerny.
Cardinal Fabio Baggio has been appointed as a 'pro-prefect' of the office, a move that acknowledges the traditional requirement for an ordained priest or cardinal in certain leadership roles within the Church. Baggio will also oversee the Vatican’s Borgo Laudato Si environmental educational center. This dual appointment strategy appears to follow the precedent set by Pope Francis, who actively promoted women to significant management positions within the Vatican.
In addition to this significant personnel change, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Lampedusa, a key European migrant arrival point, on July 4. This visit underscores his ongoing advocacy for migrants' rights and humane treatment.