Pope Leo XIV names Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín Papal Almoner and appoints Cardinal Konrad Krajewski as Archbishop of Łódź.
Newsroom (12/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a significant reshaping of the Vatican leadership, Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, OSA, as the new Prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity—commonly known as the Papal Almoner. At the same time, the Holy Father has named Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Prefect Emeritus of the Dicastery, as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Łódź, Poland, his birthplace.
Archbishop Marín de San Martín, who since 2021 has served as Undersecretary of the Secretariat of the Synod, now steps into one of the Church’s most visible roles in humanitarian outreach. The appointment comes with the conferral of the dignity of archbishop, recognizing both his theological depth and administrative skill.
A Lifelong Augustinian and an Architect of Synodality
Born in Madrid in 1961, Archbishop Marín de San Martín has dedicated much of his ministry to theological education and Augustinian governance. An expert in spiritual and dogmatic theology, he studied at the Pontifical Comillas University in Madrid and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, later earning his doctorate with a dissertation on the ecclesiology of St. John XXIII.
He has spent almost two decades in Rome as general archivist for the Order of St. Augustine and has been deeply involved in forming generations of Augustinian clergy. Pope Leo XIV’s decision to elevate him comes as no surprise to those who have witnessed the rapport between the two: both are Augustinians and have known each other since 2008, when Marín de San Martín was entrusted with stewardship of the order’s archive at the pontiff’s request.
A seasoned teacher and pastor, he previously served as provincial councilor in Spain and as prior of the Monastery of Santa María de la Vid in Burgos. His pastoral leadership included service at Santa Ana y la Esperanza Parish in Madrid and lecturing at several theological centers across Spain.
From Rome’s Streets to the Heart of Poland
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski’s latest appointment brings him home to Łódź, the industrial Polish city where he was born in 1963 and ordained a priest in 1988. For over a decade, he has embodied the Vatican’s mission of direct charity as Papal Almoner, first appointed by Pope Francis in 2013 and later created cardinal in 2018.
Known in Rome for his tireless hands-on compassion, Krajewski often eschewed the formalities of the Curia to bring food, shelter, and personal aid to those on society’s margins. Under his leadership, the Dicastery for the Service of Charity became a living sign of papal mercy—visible in his ten humanitarian missions to Ukraine, where he personally drove ambulances filled with emergency supplies into war-torn zones.
Reflecting on his years of service, Krajewski told Vatican News that each pontificate he served—from John Paul II to Benedict XVI and Francis—left a distinct imprint on his understanding of faith in action. “Each Pope has given the Church something new,” he said, recalling a decisive conversation with Pope Francis aboard a 2013 flight to Rio de Janeiro. “He asked me to sleep next to the poor, to go out from the Vatican, and to have the bank account empty each day—because everything is destined for works of charity.”
A Pastor Returns to His People
As he prepares to lead the Archdiocese of Łódź, Cardinal Krajewski embraces the new mission with characteristic humility. “The good of the Church is born from closeness to the faithful,” he said. “My diocese is large, with two and a half million inhabitants; I am ready to serve.”
Though he has spent years in Rome, Krajewski admits he never felt entirely separated from his homeland. “I never really left Poland,” he said. “I always remained among the people, and I also had a bit of longing.”
His background as a liturgist is extensive: after studies at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin and advanced degrees in Rome, he served in the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff. His deep understanding of liturgy and pastoral care now returns full circle to the Church that first formed him.
A Bridge Between Global and Local Mission
The twin appointments reflect Pope Leo XIV’s broader vision of integrating global experience with local pastoral leadership. Archbishop Marín de San Martín will continue the Vatican’s renewed focus on service to the poor through the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, while Cardinal Krajewski will bring a lived theology of mercy to the people of Łódź.
Both leaders, though stepping into new roles, carry forward a shared emphasis: that charity, whether lived in the streets of Rome or in the parishes of Poland, remains the beating heart of the Church’s mission today.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News and CNA
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