Pope Francis has for the first time appointed a woman to a high position in the Vatican administration, German Press Agency (DPA) reported.
Sister Raphael Petrini has been appointed Secretary General of the Vatican Governorate, the Holy See said.
She is the first woman to hold the second most important position in the hierarchy of the governorship, which is responsible for Vatican museums and other government services. These include the postage stamp service and the fleet.
Until now, 52-year-old Sister Raphael, a native of Rome, has been part of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, which is engaged in missionary work.
The post of the current nun corresponds to that of deputy governor of a state or deputy mayor of a large city, Reuters clarifies.
The governorate, housed in a large palace in the heart of the Vatican, has more than 2,000 employees.
In recent months, the Holy Father has focused his personal decisions on women, the DPA notes. Earlier this year, he made theologian Natalie Bekar the first woman in the history of the Catholic Church to become deputy secretary of the Synod of Bishops.
