Pope Leo XIV has appointed Spanish Augustinian Bishop Luis Marín de San Martín as the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, according to a March 12 announcement from the Vatican. Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who previously held the position, will now serve as metropolitan archbishop of Lódz in Poland.
The change marks a significant transition in leadership for one of the Vatican’s key offices responsible for charitable works. The Dicastery for the Service of Charity manages voluntary donations and coordinates aid efforts on behalf of the pope, providing assistance to those in need and responding to disasters worldwide.
Archbishop Marín, 64, is a native of Madrid and has longstanding personal ties with Pope Leo. The two lived together in an Augustinian community in Rome when Pope Leo was known as Father Robert Prevost and served as prior general of the order. Marín later managed the order’s general archives at Prevost’s request and visited him several times during his tenure as bishop in Peru. Reflecting on their relationship after Pope Leo’s election, Marín wrote: “Those of us who know him are aware of (our brother Roberto) Robert Prevost’s many virtues, his preparation and his extensive experience. I sincerely believe that he is the right person to guide the Church at this time.”
Before this appointment, Archbishop Marín served as joint undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops since February 2021 and holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid.
Cardinal Krajewski’s decade-long service included visible humanitarian work such as delivering aid to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion in 2022 and supporting Rome’s homeless population. He also made headlines by keeping churches open during COVID-19 lockdowns and offering his Vatican apartment to a Syrian refugee family. Describing how Pope Francis changed his role, Krajewski recalled: “The Holy Father told me at the beginning: ‘You can sell your desk. You don’t need it. You need to get out of the Vatican. Don’t wait for people to come ringing. You need to go out and look for the poor.'”
This appointment is seen as one among several expected changes within the Roman Curia under Pope Leo XIV.
