What Pope Leo’s first Vatican appointment reveals about his plans

Pope Leo made his first major appointment since becoming pontiff nearly five months ago, naming a relatively little-known cleric to lead the Vatican office responsible for selecting Catholic bishops worldwide.

Italian Archbishop Filippo Iannone, 67, will head the Dicastery for Bishops, which advises the pope on which priests within the Church’s 1.4 billion members should become bishops, according to the Holy See’s announcement on September 26.

Iannone has spent most of his career largely behind the scenes as the Church’s top legislator. The position had previously been held by the Pope himself, who was formerly known as Cardinal Robert Prevost, before being elected pope in May following the death of Pope Francis.

This appointment means that Pope Leo will also need to fill this key role. An analysis by the Associated Press suggests that the pope, himself trained as a lawyer, may be considering reforms to the Holy See’s legal system and wants someone he trusts to implement his vision, thus this decision.

Leo, the first American pope, has demonstrated a more reserved and low-key approach than his Argentine predecessor Francis, who frequently made headlines with off-the-cuff remarks and surprising Vatican appointments.

Until now, the new pope had not named a head of a Vatican department. Iannone’s selection signals that Leo may prefer to choose understated figures, in line with his own style, for major positions.

Originally from Naples and a member of the Carmelite order, Iannone previously led the Vatican office responsible for organizing and interpreting the Church’s extensive body of laws.

He has also served as a bishop in Lazio, the Italian region surrounding Rome, and as a consultant to several Vatican offices.

By Nazrin Sadigova