Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, his Vicar General for the Diocese of Rome, as the new Major Peni-tentiary. He succeeds Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, who has held the post since 2013 and will turn 80 in September this year.
Cardinal De Donatis, aged 70, has overseen the administrative needs of the Diocese of Rome as the Pope’s Vicar since 2017 when he was also appointed Archpriest of the Lateran Basilica.
With his new role as Major Penitentiary, he will serve as the head of the Vatican tribunal in charge of cases involving exco-mmunication and serious sins, including those whose absolution is reserved to the Holy See.
On Saturday, the Pope also appointed Jesuit Bishop Daniele Libanori, one of Rome’s seven auxiliary bishops, as the Holy Father’s Assessor for Consecrated Life.