Vatican City – This morning, Pope Leo XIV appointed a Vice-Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household. The position has been entrusted to Reverend Father Edward Daniang Daleng, O.S.A., former General Councillor and Procurator General of the Order of Saint Augustine.
The Profile of the New Vice-Regent
Father Edward Daniang Daleng was born on April 4, 1977, in Yitla’ar, Kwalla, Plateau State (Nigeria). He made his first religious profession on November 9, 2001, and his solemn vows on November 13, 2004. He was ordained a priest on September 10, 2005, and earned a Doctorate in Moral Theology at the Alfonsian Academy in 2012. Within his Order, he has held significant offices such as General Councillor and Procurator General, demonstrating long-standing experience in community life and institutional governance.
The Role of the Prefecture of the Papal Household
According to the Apostolic Constitution Praedicate Evangelium (articles 228–230), the Prefecture of the Papal Household oversees the internal order of the Pope’s residence, directs the Papal Chapel and the Papal Family, and coordinates the organization of audiences and official visits. It establishes protocol and precedence and prepares all necessary arrangements for non-liturgical papal ceremonies. The office also manages the spiritual retreats of the Pope, the College of Cardinals, and the Roman Curia. It is an office of particular delicacy, representing the most direct expression of the Holy See’s hospitality and ceremonial life, and coordinates every papal encounter with heads of state, religious and civil authorities, ambassadors, and pilgrims.
A Passage of Continuity and Renewal
Since 2020, the Prefecture has been effectively led by Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, R.C.I., who served for thirty years as Protocol Officer before being appointed Regent by Pope Benedict XVI in 2012. The office of Prefect has been vacant since 2020, when Archbishop Georg Gänswein ceased to attend papal audiences and official meetings with Pope Francis. It was only on June 15, 2023, that the Holy See Press Office formally confirmed that Gänswein had concluded his mandate. Appointed Prefect in 2012 by Benedict XVI, Gänswein had gradually ceased exercising his duties due to strained relations with Francis.
In recent years, Monsignor Sapienza has taken on the effective leadership of the office, becoming a central figure in the management of papal ceremonies and audiences. Over time, this role has placed in his hands a significant concentration of responsibilities—a dynamic that, within the Vatican, rarely proves sustainable. Since February 2013, he has also served as a Protonotary Apostolic.
A Choice Marked by Prudence and Formation
Praedicate Evangelium provides that the Prefecture be composed of a Prefect and a Regent, both appointed by the Roman Pontiff for a five-year term, assisted by several officials (art. 228). However, Pope Leo XIV, aware of the exceptional sensitivity of the office—which requires years of experience to master the complex protocols and inner workings of the papal ceremonial—has decided to appoint a Vice-Regent, a role not formally foreseen by the Constitution. The new position allows for a gradual introduction to the intricate “machinery” of the Vatican household. With this decision, the Augustinian Pope confirms his measured and steady approach to governance. The new Vice-Regent, Fr. Edward Daniang Daleng, will work alongside Msgr. Leonardo Sapienza to learn, with discretion and competence, the internal operations of the Prefecture. It marks an orderly transition, aimed at preparing a future renewal of the office.
The choice of an Augustinian religious is deliberate: the Pope seeks trusted, reserved, and skilled collaborators, capable of serving in silence and loyalty—true shadows that accompany his daily ministry.
A Piece in Leo XIV’s Emerging Team
After reorganizing his Private Secretariat—by appointing a second secretary, Fr. Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga, alongside the existing one—the Pope continues to shape his inner circle with calm discernment, preferring gradual formation over immediate replacement.
The appointment of Fr. Daleng to the Prefecture of the Papal Household fits within a broader strategy: to strengthen the operational framework of the Pope’s daily governance by emphasizing competence, fidelity, and ecclesial spirit. It is a sign of continuity through simplicity and renewal through fidelity, in keeping with the distinctive style of Pope Leo XIV.
M.P.
Silere non possum