Pope Moves St. Peter's Archpriest to Italian Diocese, Successor Unnamed
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, as archbishop of Chieti-Vasto, leaving the basilica post vacant for now.
Pope Leo XIV has named Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, who has served for more than five years as archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica and the pope's vicar for Vatican City, as the new archbishop of the central Italian Archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto. The Vatican announced the appointment on Oct. 3, confirming that Cardinal Gambetti will succeed Archbishop Bruno Forte, whose resignation the pope has accepted.
The move leaves one of the most prominent posts in the Catholic Church without a named successor. The pope did not immediately appoint a new archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican said. Until a replacement is named, the current vicar of the archpriest, Italian Bishop Calogero La Piana, who helps oversee the basilica, remains in place.
Cardinal Gambetti, a Conventual Franciscan, was created a cardinal by the late Pope Francis in 2020. Before his 2021 appointment as archpriest, he served as general custos of the Sacred Convent of St. Francis of Assisi. As archpriest, the Italian prelate oversaw the daily administration of St. Peter's Basilica and presided over liturgies when the pope was not present. He also served as president of the Fabric of St. Peter, the Vatican office responsible for maintaining the basilica complex.
According to Pope Francis' apostolic constitution «Praedicate Evangelium» on the reform of the Roman Curia, the Fabric of St. Peter's «deals with everything that concerns the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter,» including «the conservation and decorum of the building, and the internal discipline» of staff, pilgrims and visitors.
Among the projects Cardinal Gambetti oversaw during his tenure was the restoration of the nearly 100-foot-tall baldachin towering over the basilica's main altar, designed more than 400 years ago by Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The baldachin, a monumental bronze canopy, is one of the most recognizable features of the basilica's interior and stands directly above the altar where the pope celebrates Mass.
The appointment to Chieti-Vasto places Cardinal Gambetti in leadership of a diocese in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. He succeeds Archbishop Forte, who had led the archdiocese since 2004. The Vatican did not give a reason for the resignation, which is customary when a bishop reaches retirement age or when the pope accepts a transfer.
The decision not to name a new archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica at the same time is unusual but not unprecedented. The basilica's archpriest is a senior figure in the Vatican hierarchy, responsible for the spiritual and administrative life of the church that is at the heart of Catholic pilgrimage. The role includes overseeing liturgical celebrations and coordinating the many visitors and staff who pass through the basilica each day.
Cardinal Gambetti's departure from the basilica comes as the Vatican continues to implement the reforms set out in «Praedicate Evangelium,» which reorganized the Roman Curia and clarified the responsibilities of various offices, including the Fabric of St. Peter's. His new role in Chieti-Vasto will bring him back to pastoral governance in Italy after years of service in Rome and Assisi.
The Vatican's announcement did not indicate when a new archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica might be appointed. For now, Bishop La Piana will continue to assist in overseeing the basilica's operations, ensuring that daily liturgies and maintenance work proceed without interruption.
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