Pope Francis appointed today, December 15, 2021, an Extraordinary Commissioner for Saint Mary Major’s Basilica, “donec aliter provideatur” (“unless otherwise provided”) with the responsibility to take care of the economic management of the goods of the Chapter” of this church, states a press release of the Holy See Press Office.

According to the note, this decision was taken in response “to the particular complexities  of the economic and financial management  of the Chapter of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, aggravated by the spread of the” COVID “pandemic.”

“The Chapter, under the direction of the Cardinal Archpriest Stanislaw Rylko, will continue having the task to carry out all the liturgical functions and to promote the pastoral activity of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, to foster the active participation and care of the faithful,” concludes the text.

The new Extraordinary Commissioner is Lithuanian Monsignor Rolandas Makrickas, 49, up to now in service in the First Section of General Affairs of the State Secretariat.

The Prelate will be assisted in his task “by a Commission made up of representatives of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), of the Governance of Vatican City State and of the Secretariat for the Economy.”

Translation by Virginia M. Forrester