Pope Leo has named Bishop Aldon Ronald Hicks as the next archbishop of New York.
Bishop Hicks, who - like the pope - is from the Chicago area and served in Latin America, will lead one of the Roman Catholic Church's most populous and important postings in the United States.
The 58-year-old replaces the retiring Cardinal Timothy Dolan, 75, who was seen as a conservative with close ties to President Donald Trump. Hicks said he accepted his appointment, which was announced on Thursday, with "an open heart" and Dolan called it "an early Christmas gift" for New Yorkers.
Last month, Hicks joined other bishops to condemn the Trump administration's large scale immigration-related arrests as part of its mass deportation agenda.
Hicks' early life and pastoral career closely mirror Pope Leo's. He grew up in South Holland, a short distance from Leo's Dolton neighbourhood in the suburb of Chicago.
