Pope Francis appoints first female mayor of the Vatican

Last Monday (6), Pope Francis appointed Italian sister Simona Brambilla as prefect of the Dicastery for Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. This is the first time in history that a woman has held a top position in the Roman Curia (administrative body of the Holy See).

She replaces Brazilian Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, who served in the post for 14 years. On that occasion, Spanish Cardinal Angel Fernández Artime was also appointed as “pro-mayor” of the Dicastery.

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The position, equivalent to a ministry, aims to take care of religious orders by deliberating on “the approval and regulation of new forms of consecrated life, in relation to those already recognized by law”.

Brambilla takes over the Dicastery where she was previously secretary, becoming the second woman to hold the post. Her CV also includes missionary experience in Mozambique as a professional nurse and as general superior of the Missionary Sisters of the Consolata Institute.

Women in the Curia

The announcement highlights the pope’s efforts to increase the participation of women in leadership positions. According to the Vatican Newsthe Holy See increased the percentage of women from 19.2% to 23.4% from 2013 to 2023. Although it may seem small, the number is significant given the obstacles of conservative wings within the church.

This result was only achieved once, in 2022, Francis edited the Apostolic Constitution Preach the Gospel fromIt made it possible that, in the future, lay people and, therefore, including women, could head a dicastery and become prefects, a position previously reserved for cardinals and archbishops”, highlights the official website of the Catholic church.

It is also highlighted that, before Brambilla, Pope Francis appointed, in 2016, Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums, a role always administered by lay people, but never before by a woman, and Sister Raffaella Petrini, general secretary of the Governorship, in 2022, a role usually held by a bishop, in addition to several other positions held by women in subsecretariat positions and vice directorships.

*With information from Vatican News