Pope Leo appoints Augustinian priest from Nigeria as vice regent of Pontifical Household

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Edward Daniang Daleng, O.S.A., who has served as general counsellor and procurator general of the Order of Saint Augustine, as Vice-Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, the Holy See Press Office announced Nov. 10. 

The Prefecture of the Papal Household manages a broad number of responsibilities related to the pope’s daily calendar. 

According to the Vatican website, the Prefecture of the Papal Household organizes papal audiences with heads of state and government, governmental ministers, and ambassadors.

The Prefecture also oversees preparations for all private and general audiences with the pope and arranges all pontifical ceremonies except liturgical celebrations, the website states. Moreover, the Prefecture is responsible for arranging spiritual retreats for the pope, the College of Cardinals, and the Roman Curia. 

Fr. Daleng was born in 1977 in Yitla’ar, Kwalla, Plateau State, Nigeria, and was ordained a priest in 2005, according to the Holy See Press Office press release. An Augustinian like Pope Leo, Fr. Daleng holds a doctorate in moral theology. He will work closely with Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza, who, according to a July EWTN report, is the current regent of the Prefecture. 

Fr. Daleng told Vatican Media that Pope Leo has visited all of the African missions several times and traveled to Nigeria “on at least ten occasions” before his election as pope, according to a Nov. 10 Vatican News report. 

Shortly after Pope Leo’s election, Fr. Daleng told the outlet, “He has Africa in his heart.”