On September 27, Bishop Giovanni Paccosi of San Miniato announced that Pope Leo XIV has appointed the Italian priest Marco Belleri as his new personal secretary. Father Belleri, 41 years old, thus becomes the second secretary of the pontiff, accompanying the Peruvian priest Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga, who already holds this position.
The appointment places a priest from the Tuscan diocese in the closest proximity to the Holy Father, strengthening the ties of the local Church with the Vatican.
Academic and Pastoral Trajectory of Marco Belleri
Marco Belleri was born on January 9, 1984, in Pontedera, in Tuscany (Italy). Before his ordination, he was a computer engineer. He was ordained a priest in October 2016 for the diocese of San Miniato. Since then, he has developed an intense career in the canon law field: he has served as parish vicar, bishop’s master of ceremonies, promoter of justice and defender of the bond in ecclesiastical courts, and judge of the Etruscan Regional Ecclesiastical Tribunal (TERE).
His studies culminated with a doctorate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. In ecclesiastical circles, he has been recognized for his technical profile, his focus on canon matrimonial law, and his closeness to judicial work.
Bishop Paccosi: “A Great Gift for the Diocese”
In an official statement, Bishop Giovanni Paccosi expressed his emotion about the news, describing the appointment as “a great gift” for the diocese. He recounted that the Pope had personally called him the previous week to request consent to release Father Belleri from his local duties.
“I felt both joy and vertigo, thinking that Father Marco will now be at the heart of the Church of Christ,” the prelate stated. Additionally, he invited the faithful to pray for the priest and for the entire diocese, reminding that the union with the Pope must strengthen the community’s evangelizing commitment.
A Direct Service to the Holy Father
With this appointment, Father Marco Belleri joins the closest team of Leo XIV, in a discreet but crucial service that demands full dedication, spiritual closeness, and deep loyalty. The Italian priest will work side by side with the first personal secretary, Father Edgard Iván Rimaycuna Inga, forming the team that accompanies the pontiff daily in his pastoral and governmental tasks.