Pope Leo XIV on Friday appointed Father Andrea Ciucci chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Life. The Italian priest has served as the academy's secretariat coordinator since 2016.
Originally from Milan, the 59-year-old Ciucci has a doctorate in the philosophy of religion from the Pontifical University of Sant'Anselmo in Rome. After serving as a parish vicar in Milan, he worked at the former Pontifical Council for the Family from 2012–2016.
He is also the general secretary of the RenAIssance Foundation, a Vatican institution that promotes an ethical perspective on artificial intelligence.
Ciucci is a professor at the Pontifical Theological Institute John Paul II in Rome and he is a public speaker and writer on the topic of new technologies and their influence on young people and families.
Last month, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Renzo Pegoraro, received the title of "bishop" from Pope Leo for his role.
Pegoraro was chancellor of the academy from 2011 until his appointment as president in May 2025.
According to the academy's statutes, the chancellor "may represent the Pontifical Academy for Life on behalf of the president and collaborates with him in the direction and administration of the academy's activities."
The Pontifical Academy for Life was founded in February 1994 by St. John Paul II. It is one of several academic and cultural institutions at the Vatican that bring together experts in their fields to discuss issues of relevance to the Church and the world.
