The Rev. Edward Malesic has been named the 12th Bishop of Cleveland, Ohio.

Pope Francis made the appointment earlier this month, the Diocese of Cleveland announced. Malesic's predecessor, Bishop Nelson Perez, was appointed the Archbishop of Philadelphia earlier this year. 

The Diocese of Cleveland includes eight counties in which 24% of the population, or 682,948 people, are Catholic.

Malesic has served as the Bishop for the Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania for five years. Prior to his time in Greensburg, Malesic had several pastoral assignments in the Diocese of Harrisburg, the city in which he was born.

Malesic received his initiation sacraments at the former St. John the Evangelist Parish in Enhaut, which was his hometown church. He studied canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He is also a member of he Cannon Law Society of America. 

Malesic will be installed during a Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in the fall.