AKIPRESS.COM - Pope Francis on Thursday appointed Italian Consolata Missionary Father Giorgio Marengo the head of the Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar, Vatican News reported.

At the same time, he has been elevated to the rank of a bishop, with the titular see of Castra Severiana.

The 45-year old priest is currently the regional counsellor for Asia, superior for Mongolia and parish priest of Mary Mother of Mercy in Arvaiheer.

Father Marengo takes over from Filipino Bishop Wenceslao Padilla of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (CICM), who died on 25 September 2018.

An apostolic vicariate or apostolic prefecture is a local Church that has not yet been established as a diocese. Its administration is assigned to the apostolic vicar or apostolic who governs it in the name of the Pope.