Pope appoints new Substitute, Nuncio to Italy, and Prefect of Papal Household
By Salvatore Cernuzio
From Colombia to the Secretariat of State, from the Secretariat of State to the Nunciature in Italy, from the Nunciature in Italy to the Prefecture of the Papal Household. Today a round of appointments were announced within the Holy See.
Pope Leo XIV has chosen Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, who will turn 56 in July, to be the new Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, one of the most important and sensitive positions in the entire Vatican apparatus, effectively a kind of “Interior Minister” of the Vatican City State.
Ordained a priest in 1995 and incardinated in Bergamo, Archbishop Rudelli holds a degree in moral theology and has until now served as Apostolic Nuncio to Colombia. He assumed that post in 2023 following his appointment by Pope Francis, who had consecrated him Bishop in 2019 and sent him, in January 2020, as his representative to Zimbabwe.
The prelate's experience in the Holy See’s diplomatic service, however, dates back over twenty years to 2001, with assignments in the Pontifical Representations in Ecuador and Poland, and in the Section for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.
Today, by the will of Pope Leo XIV, he becomes the head of that Section, marking the Pope's second significant appointment in the Secretariat of State, following last November’s appointment of the Assessor, the Nigerian theologian and canonist Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo, previously Undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
'Gesture of trust'
In a statement issued following today's announcement, Archbishop Rudelli said, “The call from His Holiness Pope Leo to work closely in the exercise of his supreme mission as Substitute of the Secretariat of State is a gesture of undeserved trust that deeply honors me.”
The Archbishop reassured that “moved by faith,” he will “take on this service in the spirit indicated by the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium.”
He said he will do so with the awareness that he can rely on the guidance of Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and on the collaboration of Assessor, Monsignor Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo, and all the staff of the Section for General Affairs.
In particular, the new Substitute noted he places his trust in the “intercession” of a distinguished fellow countryman of Bergamo, Pope Saint John XXIII.
Archbishop Peña Parra becomes Nuncio to Italy
Archbishop Rudelli succeeds Venezuelan Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, whom Pope Leo XIV today appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Italy.
Pope Francis had previously appointed Archbishop Peña Parra as Substitute on 15 August 2018, transferring him from Mozambique. Since 2015, he had led the Apostolic Nunciature in that East African country and also participated in a mediation group to restore peace between the national government and an opposition political party.
Born in 1960, a seasoned diplomat with experience in Kenya, the former Yugoslavia, Honduras, and Mexico, and later serving as Pontifical Representative in Pakistan, Archbishop Peña Parra became the second Latin American to hold the post of Substitute, after the Argentine Leonardo Sandri.
Archbishop Rajič becomes Prefect of the Papal Household
Today also sees the appointment of Archbishop Petar Rajič as Prefect of the Papal Household.
The position had been vacant for more than six years, since the departure of Archbishop Georg Gänswein, now Apostolic Nuncio to the Baltic States of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania. Rajič himself had served as Nuncio to the same countries from 2019 before arriving in Italy in 2024.
As Prefect, the Archbishop will oversee the work of the Prefecture, a Curial body responsible for the internal order and daily management of the Pope’s life.
