Vatican City, Nov 4, 2021 / 08:05 am
Pope Francis on Thursday appointed Franciscan Sister Raffaella Petrini to the second-ranking position in the government of the Vatican City State.
Petrini is the first woman and non-clergy member to be secretary general of the Vatican’s governorate.
The appointment makes her one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican, alongside Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, “ad interim” secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Sr. Natalie Becquart, an under-secretary of the Synod of Bishops.
Petrini replaces Bishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, who was promoted to president, effective Oct. 1.