Pope Francis on Monday named the first woman to lead a major Vatican department, appointing an Italian sister to take charge of the office that oversees the world's Catholic religious orders.

Sister Simona Brambilla, 59, will lead the Vatican's Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. She replaces Cardinal Joao Braz de Aviz, a Brazilian prelate who had led the office since 2011.

Francis has elevated women to leadership roles at the Vatican throughout his 11-year papacy, naming a range of women to second-in-command positions at various offices.

But he had not yet appointed a woman to lead one of the offices of the Holy See, the internationally recognised sovereign entity that oversees the global Catholic Church.

Brambilla was named as "prefect" of the Vatican office. Francis also named Spanish Cardinal Angel Fernández Artime as "pro-prefect" of the department.

The Vatican press office said Brambilla would be leading the department, but did not immediately offer details on how the two officials would split duties.

Among other appointments, Francis has previously named women to number two positions in the Vatican's development office, its family life office, and its press office.

He also appointed Barbara Jatta as the first woman to lead the Vatican Museums in 2016.