The Pope has chosen two private secretaries, one from South America and one from Italy, an African Vice-Regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, and a Swiss Butler.
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From Aleteia
By Carlos Zapata
Three priests from different continents support Pope Leo in all his daily activities. Their varied talents and backgrounds complement and enrich each other.A Successor of Peter always has a very busy daily schedule that requires constant support and assistance. In order to keep things moving smoothly, they usually have an inner group of assistants who stand at the ready in every meeting and event.
Here is a glimpse into the closest circle of His Holiness Leo XIV’s support team.
There are four men who are with him practically 24 hours a day, providing him with exceptional logistical support. They’re part of the so-called “pontifical family” and complement each other in their functions, although with different responsibilities and roles.
The Holy Father has two private secretaries, a religious, and a butler who, in practice, team up with each other directly or indirectly in brotherly harmony. Three are priests with diverse backgrounds that enrich each other in their daily work: Monsignor Edgard, Father Marco, and Father Edward. The fourth — whom Pope Leo XIV designated his butler on March 1 — is a former Swiss Guard!
In them we find the fusion of three visions and three continents, but one and the same mission: service to God through humble, attentive, and detailed service to the Vicar of Christ.
The Pope's private secretaries
1Monsignor Edgard Iván Rimaycuna
He was the first private secretary appointed by Pope Leo XIV. Previously, he was his secretary in the Diocese of Chiclayo (Peru). He accompanied then-Bishop Robert Prevost to Rome in 2023, where he served as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops before Pope Francis created Prevost a cardinal.
This priest from Chiclayo is a monsignor; the Pope appointed him Chaplain of His Holiness in November 2025. This is an honorary title that officially incorporates him into the Pontifical Family. This gesture recognizes his special work as secretary to the pontiff.
He’s the youngest of the group, but also the one with whom the Pope has the most experience, having spent more time working with him. Monsignor Rimaycuna is 36 years old and has a degree in Sacred Scripture (Biblical Studies) from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome.
2Father Marco Billeri
This diocesan priest is Pope Leo's second personal secretary. He was appointed in September 2025. With him, the second continent, Europe, is incorporated into the group, as he was born and educated in Italy. He’s 42 years old and was ordained a decade ago, in 2016.
Academically brilliant, he has an exceptional résumé, having studied computer engineering, although this fact isn’t often in the spotlight. He also has a doctorate in canon law, like the Holy Father. They collaborated closely in legal and ecclesiastical circles in Italy.
He served as a judge of the Ecclesiastical Court of Tuscany. He also served as vicar in the parish of Saints Stephen and Martin in San Miniato Basso. Much loved by the priests he used to work with, he’s known for being humble, quiet, and efficient.
3Father Edward Daniang Daleng
The third man in the group is a figure with a very special profile. In addition to being a priest, he's an Augustinian religious, like the Pope; both belong to the Order of Saint Augustine (OSA). And he comes from the continent with the greatest Catholic demographic and vocational fertility: Africa.
His name is Father Edward Daniang Daleng, and he was born in Nigeria.
Rivalling the language skills demonstrated by his colleagues, he is fluent in English, Italian, French, and Igbo. He worked with then-Father Robert Prevost before he became Pope, when he was Prior General of the Augustinians.
Academically, he’s outstanding. Apart from his seminary studies, he holds a doctorate in systematic theology from the Australian Catholic University and also a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2021.
Father Edward isn’t a papal secretary — he has a different and specific position as vice-regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household — in operational terms they perform similar daily functions. In fact, they support and complement each other on an ongoing basis.
4Anton Kappler
As of March 1, Pope Leo XIV has a new butler, also known as a "chamberlain": a 46-year-old former lieutenant of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, Anton Kappler. He was born in 1979 in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen, in the town of Wattwil.
He joined the world's smallest army in February 2001, where he spent 25 years. As a “soldier of the Pope,” he was responsible for the armory and the management of the third section, which includes the military band.
Kappler left his service with the Swiss Guard at the end of January 2026. Now, most reports say he will take over from Pier Giorgio Zanetti, who is said to have retired, although other sources say he will work alongside Zanetti. Appointed to this position in 2013, the latter is a former member of the Vatican Gendarmerie. It is plausible that both reports are true—that Kappler will work alongside his predecessor for a period to ensure a smooth transition, after which Zanetti will retire.
The butler is part of the “papal family” and the pontiff's inner circle. He often stands discreetly by his side during his travels, carrying the rosaries to be distributed by the pope or receiving gifts given to the head of the Catholic Church. In the final years of Francis' pontificate, the butler was seen pushing the Argentine's wheelchair and carrying his documents.
And this role became famous in an unfortunate way under Benedict XVI, as it was the man who was his butler who was wrapped up in what became known as the Vati-leaks scandal.
Full-time servants of God
The three priests are involved in the management of audiences, both general and private. In addition, at the Pope's request, it is the beloved African religious who receives and accompanies the Holy Father when meeting with monarchs, international authorities, and heads of state.
They work in coordination with the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, the structure that collaborates most directly with the Holy Father. They operate like a precision machine, providing logistical assistance and ensuring the strict protocol that the Vatican displays on a daily basis.
All of these direct collaborators of Leo XIV have something else in common that is of notable importance: extraordinary humility. They often are invisible or simply nonexistent in public perception, despite being fundamental pieces of the puzzle.
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