Pope Francis has appointed Sister Simona Brambilla to lead a Vatican department, naming the first woman head of the office that oversees the world's Catholic religious orders and congregations.Francis has been naming women to more elevated positions within the Holy See since becoming head of the world's almost 1.

He is appointing Sister Simona Brambilla, an Italian nun, to become prefect of the Vatican department responsible for all the church's religious orders.

Pope Francis on Monday named Sister Simona Brambilla the first female prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.