Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans and confirmed that Coadjutor Archbishop James Checchio will immediately succeed him as head of the archdiocese, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced Feb. 11.

Archbishop Aymond, 76, has led the archdiocese since 2009. Church law requires bishops to submit their resignation to the pope at age 75. Resignation takes effect upon papal acceptance.

In New Orleans, Archbishop Checchio had been serving as coadjutor archbishop, a role that includes the automatic right of succession.

The appointment was publicized in Washington by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s ambassador to the U.S.

According to his biography from the USCCB, Archbishop Checchio previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, New Jersey, beginning in 2016. Before that, he was rector of the Pontifical North American College in Rome for a decade, overseeing the formation of American seminarians studying for the priesthood.

Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, in 1992, Archbishop Checchio holds degrees in philosophy, business administration, and canon law and has served in multiple leadership roles within the USCCB, including as conference treasurer.

The archdiocese, one of the nation’s oldest Catholic jurisdictions, serves Catholics across southeast Louisiana and traces its roots to the early 18th century during French colonial rule.