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Pope Francis has made an Italian lawyer the first woman to hold a management position in the Vatican’s most important office.
Francesca Di Giovanni, 66, will serve as undersecretary for multilateral affairs in the Secretariat of State.
She will be responsible for co-ordinating the Holy See’s relations with groups including the UN.
Pope Francis has been vocal in his support for women holding greater positions of authority in the Church.
“I hope that my being a woman might reflect itself positively in this task, even if they are gifts that I certainly find in my male colleagues as well,” she told Vatican media.
Ms Di Giovanni has worked for the Vatican for 27 years and holds a law degree.
She has specialised in areas including migration and refugees, the status of women, intellectual property and tourism.
“The Holy Father has made an unprecedented decision, certainly, which, beyond myself personally, represents an indication of an attention towards women,” she said.
