Pope appoints new Substitute, Nuncio to Italy, and Prefect of Papal Household
Pope Leo XIV announced three significant appointments within the Holy See. Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, formerly the Apostolic Nuncio to Colombia, is appointed the new Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State. Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the outgoing Substitute, is appointed the new Apostolic Nuncio to Italy. Archbishop Petar Rajič, previously the Nuncio to Italy, has been appointed Prefect of the Pontifical Household.
4 months ago
Pope Leo XIV announced three key Vatican appointments on March 30, 2026, involving a rotation among experienced diplomats.1 2 3
Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, previously Apostolic Nuncio to Colombia, becomes the new Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State.1 3 6
Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra shifts from Substitute to Apostolic Nuncio to Italy and San Marino.1 3 4
Archbishop Petar Rajič moves from Nuncio to Italy to Prefect of the Papal Household, a role vacant since 2019.1 2 3
Archbishop Rudelli, 55, from Bergamo, Italy, entered Vatican diplomacy in 2001 with posts in Ecuador, Poland, and the Secretariat of State.1 3
He served as Nuncio to Zimbabwe (2020) and Colombia (2023), ordained bishop by Pope Francis in 2019.3 5
Archbishop Peña Parra, Venezuelan born 1960, has diplomacy experience in Kenya, Yugoslavia, Honduras, Mexico, Pakistan, and Mozambique since 1993.1 3
Appointed Substitute by Pope Francis in 2018, he navigated challenges like the London property trial.3 4
Archbishop Rajič, Canadian-Croatian born 1959, joined diplomacy in 1993 with roles in Iran, Lithuania, and Muslim-majority nations like Kuwait and Yemen.3 5
He advanced Holy See agreements in Angola (2019) and served as Nuncio to the Baltics before Italy in 2024.1 2
The Substitute oversees daily Vatican operations, papal documents, communications, and trips—often ranked third in Vatican power after the Pope and Secretary of State.3 5
This marks Pope Leo XIV's biggest Curia change since his May 2025 election.3
The Prefect manages the Pope's schedule, audiences, and household, signaling high trust.2 3
The Nuncio to Italy handles key relations near the Holy See.1 4
Peña Parra, in a farewell address, used a train metaphor for his career, expressing loyalty to Pope Leo and gratitude amid trials like COVID, papal deaths, conclave, and scandals.4
He highlighted the Secretariat's "silent service" to the universal Church.4
Rudelli called the appointment an "unmerited trust," pledging service per Praedicate evangelium under Cardinal Parolin, invoking St. John XXIII.6
The moves follow Leo XIV's November 2025 Assessor appointment.1
These shifts continue Vatican diplomatic reshuffles, filling a six-year Prefect vacancy post-Archbishop Gänswein.1 2
All appointees bring global experience, emphasizing continuity in Curia reform.3 5
Announcements came via Vatican press, amid Holy Week preparations.1 2
Investigate the historical role of the Substitute for General Affairs in the Secretariat of State
The Substitute for General Affairs has long served as a pivotal figure in the Secretariat of State, directing its Section for General Affairs (formerly the First Section) and providing essential coordination for the Roman Pontiff's daily governance of the universal Church. This role, rooted in reforms by Paul VI and formalized in key curial constitutions, emphasizes expediting papal service, inter-dicastery cooperation, and administrative synthesis, evolving with minimal structural change from Pastor Bonus (1988) to Praedicate Evangelium (2022).
The Secretariat of State's modern configuration traces to the late 15th century, but its coordinating function was decisively shaped by St. Paul VI, who restructured it as a "point of connection" among Curia dicasteries. This laid the groundwork for the Substitute's leadership of the General Affairs section, ensuring unity amid the Church's growing global demands.
Under Pastor Bonus (1988) by St. John Paul II, the Secretariat was presided over by the Cardinal Secretary of State and divided into two sections: the First Section for General Affairs, directly controlled by the Substitute (assisted by the Assessor), and the Second Section for Relations with States. The Substitute thus managed internal Curial coordination and routine papal affairs, distinct from diplomatic functions.
Pope Francis's Praedicate Evangelium (2022) preserved this framework while expanding the Secretariat into three sections, with the Section for General Affairs remaining under the Substitute's direction, assisted by the Assessor. Article 45 explicitly states: "It includes three Sections: the Section for General Affairs, under the direction of the Substitute, assisted by the Assessor..." This reflects continuity, as affirmed by Pope Leo XIV in 2025, who highlighted the section's "coordinating role" per Articles 45-46.
The 2022 constitution added a Section for Diplomatic Personnel, but the Substitute's core purview stayed focused on internal service, underscoring the role's stability amid broader Curial missionary reforms.
The Substitute oversees a broad mandate, detailed in Praedicate Evangelium:
These tasks position the Substitute as the Pope's "close assistance" in supreme governance (Praedicate Evangelium, nn. 44-45), blending administrative precision with evangelical coordination.
| Responsibility Category | Specific Duties | Governing Source |
|---|---|---|
| Papal Service & Coordination | Day-to-day expediting; inter-Dicastery cooperation; non-ordinary matters | Art. 46 |
| Documentation | Apostolic acts, Acta Apostolicae Sedis, announcements, seals | Art. 47 |
| Appointments & Meetings | Curial appointments, honors, head meetings | Art. 48 |
| Diplomatic | State representatives | Art. 46 |
Historical appointments illustrate the role's prestige and mobility:
Pope Leo XIV (2025) praised the Secretariat's lay and female staff (nearly half lay, over 50 women), noting how the Substitute's section reflects the Church's universal face in service.
The Substitute's historical role embodies the Curia's "incarnation" in history and "catholicity," synthesizing particular issues into papal mission support, as Leo XIV emphasized. From Paul VI's vision through recent pontificates, it remains indispensable for Curial unity, adapting to modern challenges like global diplomacy and evangelization without rivalry, but as a "community of faith and charity."
In summary, the Substitute for General Affairs has consistently directed internal coordination and papal administration, evolving from Pastor Bonus's two-section model to Praedicate Evangelium's three-section structure, with responsibilities centered on service, documentation, and synthesis—faithful to the Church's missionary mandate.