Pope Leo Approves Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as First Asian Dean of the College of Cardinals

Pope Leo XIV approved the election of Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as dean of the College of Cardinals on October 8. Tagle, 69, is the first Asian to hold the post. He succeeds Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 92, who is retiring after nearly seven years in the role.

The cardinals of the Order of Cardinal-Bishops elected Tagle. He will assume the title of the Suburbicarian Church of Ostia while retaining that of Albano. As dean, he is considered first among equals and would preside over the next conclave, summon cardinals, and oversee the process should the pope die or resign. The position dates to the 12th century.

Tagle previously served as archbishop of Manila and was widely viewed as a papal contender in the 2013 and 2025 conclaves. He currently leads a section of the Dicastery for Evangelization. Known for his approachable style and sometimes called by the nickname Chito, he was a close collaborator of the late Pope Francis. He delivered the Fisherman’s Ring to Leo XIV at the start of the new pontificate.

Re organized the general congregations after Francis’s death in April 2025 but could not enter the Sistine Chapel because of the age limit of 80. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 71, led the conclave that elected Leo. With Tagle now dean, an Asian cleric would guide the process the next time the College of Cardinals gathers to choose a pope.

The Vatican announced the change on October 9. Tagle expressed gratitude when staff of the Dicastery were informed. The dean does not exercise governing authority over other cardinals but holds a central ceremonial and organizational role in sede vacante. Leo, 71, is relatively young and in good health, so the practical duties may not arise soon.

The selection continues a pattern of elevating figures from the Global South. Tagle’s election by his peers among the cardinal-bishops and the subsequent papal approval place him at the center of the Church’s highest electoral body. For the Philippine Church and for Asian Catholicism more broadly, the appointment marks a historic first in a role that has long been held by Europeans.