Archbishop Iannone appointed to influential post of Prefect of Dicastery for Bishops

Pope Leo XIV has named Archbishop Filippo Iannone as the new prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, filling a vacancy that has existed since the Pope’s own election in May.

The Holy See Press Office confirmed the appointment on 26 September, noting that Archbishop Iannone, a Carmelite and canon lawyer, will take up his new responsibilities on 15 October.

The post is one of the most significant in the Roman Curia, with the prefect tasked with assisting the Pope in the choice of bishops across the world. Candidates for episcopal office are proposed to the Dicastery after extensive consultation, but the final decision rests with the Holy Father.

The Dicastery for Bishops has been without a prefect since the election of Pope Leo, who served as its head from January 2023 until his election to the papacy earlier this year. As Cardinal Robert Prevost, he was appointed by Pope Francis to the role overseeing the delicate process of selecting bishops for dioceses across the globe. His election as Leo XIV in May left the dicastery under temporary direction until now.

Archbishop Iannone, 67, has been prefect of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts since 2022. Born in Naples and a member of the Carmelite Order, he is widely respected for his expertise in canon law and for long service within both the Diocese of Rome and the Roman Curia.

His career has included work with the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, with the Italian Bishops’ Conference and with the former Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, which he led from 2018 before its reconstitution as a Dicastery.

In announcing his appointment, the Vatican also confirmed that Archbishop Ilson de Jesus Montanari of Brazil will remain secretary of the Dicastery for Bishops for a further five years. Archbishop Montanari has held the post since 2013. Monsignor Ivan Kovač was likewise reconfirmed as undersecretary.

This marks Leo's first appointment of a prefect to a major Dicastery since his election as Pope. The only other senior nomination made came days after his election, when he named Sister Tiziana Merletti, of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, as secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

The Dicastery for Bishops plays a crucial role in the life and direction of the universal Church, advising the Pope on the men to be entrusted with diocesan leadership. Its work has been broadened in recent years with the inclusion of women among its members.

In July 2022, Pope Francis appointed Sister Raffaella Petrini, Yvonne Reungoat and Maria Lia Zervino, giving them a voice in the process of recommending candidates for the episcopate.

Archbishop Iannone's appointment ensures continuity in one of the Holy See’s most sensitive and influential dicasteries.

Photo: Archbishop Iannone (credit: Vatican News)