Pope Francis has named Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta as the Archbishop of Washington, DC, making him the first African American to lead the archdiocese.
The appointment makes Gregory the seventh archbishop of Washington. The last five were made cardinals. If this same holds true for Gregory, he could make history as the first African American cardinal in the country.
The Washington archdiocese has been at the center of much of the scandals surrounding the Catholic Church. In a press conference following the announcement, Gregory vowed to restore trust and work with integrity.
“I cannot undo the past, but I sincerely believe that, together, we will not only address the moments where we’ve fallen short or failed outright, but we will model for all the life and teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, and we will reclaim the future.”
He will officially begin his tenure as the Archbishop of Washington on May 21st.