Rorate Caeli

Changes in the Curia

As it had been announced for many months by several news organizations, the Holy Father has named Argentinian Leonardo Sandri, up to now Sostituto (Substitute for General Affairs) of the Secretary of State, one of the most important positions in the Vatican bureaucracy, as the new Prefect of Oriental Churches - replacing Syrian Cardinal Daoud, former Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians.

Italian Archbishop Fernando Filoni, Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, has been named as the new Sostituto, as some Italian outlets had recently hinted.

Both have issued personal statements after the changing of chairs (in Italian: Sandri; Filoni).

[In the picture, former Sostituto Sandri in his capacity as head of the "First Section of the Secretariat of State", responsible, among many other duties, for the publication of official documents and for the guardianship of the seal, presents the encyclical letter "Deus Caritas Est" to the Holy Father for signing. For more information, read Articles 41 to 44 of Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus.]