Pope Francis today appointed the first woman to head an important Vatican office, choosing nun Simona Brambilla to head the department responsible for all religious orders in the Catholic Church.

This is an important step in the religious leader's goal of giving women more leadership roles, since until now there have only been women as number 2 in some Vatican offices.

The appointment of the Italian nun marks the first time that a woman has been appointed head of a dicastery or congregation of the Curia of the Holy See, the central governing body of the Catholic Church.

The Vatican's daily bulletin designates Brambilla as "prefect" while a cardinal has been appointed as co-leader, or "pro-prefect": Ángel Fernández Artime, a Salesian.

The AP news agency notes that a prefect must be able to celebrate mass, a Catholic rite, and other sacramental functions that can currently only be performed by men.

The department, officially known as the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, is one of the most important in the Vatican as it is responsible for all religious orders, from the Jesuits and Franciscans to the newest and smallest movements.

Brambilla, 59, is a member of the religious order of the Consolata Missionaries and was, since last year, number 2 in the department of religious orders.

The nun replaces retired Brazilian Cardinal João Braz de Aviz, 77