Italian bishops will elect the head of their national conference for the first time

Vatican City, February 13 – In a clear break with tradition, the pope has ordered a secret vote among Italian bishops to choose the next head of the Catholic Church in Italy .

In the past it has always been the pontiff to name the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference. This reflected the traditionally intertwined relationship between the Vatican and the Italian Church .

That relationship now appears to be loosening as Benedict moves to bring the procedures into line with those of other countries, where it is always the