Pope Leon XIV has made a historic decision by appointing Sister Alessandra Smerilli as the head of a Vatican dicastery, making her the third woman to hold such a position. This announcement was made on Tuesday by the Vatican press office and will take effect on September 1.
Smerilli will lead the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, which addresses issues related to migration, social justice, development, and the environment.
Women in leadership roles within the Vatican dicasteries are still rare, with 13 of these governmental structures currently headed by men. The late Pope Francis had previously appointed Sister Simona Brambilla to be the first woman to lead a dicastery, slated to begin her role in early 2025. Brambilla is currently overseeing the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, responsible for religious orders and congregations.
Earlier in June, Pope Leon appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, a journalist from Mexico, as prefect of the Dicastery for Communication.
