Twenty years of activity for the Ohio Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums and its leadership. This dual anniversary was celebrated with a ceremony held on Friday, December 5 in Cleveland.
Pope Francis passed away peacefully this morning, Monday, April 21, at 7:35 a.m.
He gave himself completely to the Church, to his brothers and sisters, and to humanity. His heart has ceased to beat, but his voice will echo forever in the minds of the men and women of our time, in those who had the privilege to hear his words, to witness his prophetic gestures, and to follow his Magisterium.
Until the end, he continued to serve the Church, never taking time for himself, as the needs of the Church were always his priority. Just as he consistently asked others to reject a throwaway mentality and to never discriminate, he never held back in proclaiming God’s mercy to the world. He made this the central theme of his pontificate.
On October 8 and 9, the conference “Ital_IA – Between Public Data and Algorithms” was held in the Carassa-Dadda Auditorium of the University Politecnico di Milano. The event was promoted by the Italian Customs and Monopolies Agency and Sogei (General Information Technology Company), with the scientific contribution of the Politecnico di Milano. It consisted of two days of discussion dedicated to the role of Artificial Intelligence and public data in decision-making processes and in services for citizens and institutions.
From September 18 to 23, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate, is in New Orleans, USA, to participate in the meeting of the leaders of the Chapters of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.
In their commitment to defending the faith and serving the poor, the Knights of the Order of Malta become “pilgrims of hope” in a complex and divided world. This was emphasized by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, during the Mass for the investiture of new members of the American Association of the Order of Malta, led by its President, Kenneth Craig. The celebration was presided over by Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Friday afternoon, November 14. Among those present at the rite were several members of the Sovereign Council.
In 1867, in the middle of August, an epidemic of cholera hit the Castelli Romani. Albano Laziale’s population was almost decimated, with an enormous mortality rate, a "cemetery of cholera and the plague".
Pope Leo XIV visited the Nativity Scene from the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore–Sarno, set up in St. Peter’s Square for the 2025 Christmas season. On Wednesday afternoon, 31 December 2025, he visited the crèche after presiding in the Vatican Basilica over First Vespers for the Solemnity of Mary, Most Holy Mother of God, followed by the singing of the traditional Te Deum hymn of thanksgiving at the end of the year.
In the Conference Hall of the prestigiousVatican Museums, on the occasion of World Children’s Day, Thursday, November 20, the Seminar on the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Persons was held. The event was organized by the Office of Labor of the Apostolic See (ULSA), in cooperation with the Accompaniment Service of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and was addressed to the staff of the Roman Curia, institutions connected with the Holy See, and the Governorate itself.
A special place, where the Eucharist is celebrated while awaiting Easter: the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception of the Poor Clares of Albano. A community that, given its location within the Pontifical Villas, has always had a special bond with the Governorate and its departments. The nuns of Saint Clare have, in fact, as a special mission, that of praying for the Pope, the Church and for Vatican City.
It was a visit marked by friendship, affection, inclusion, and a sense of family when Pope Leo XIV met with the participants of the “Estate Ragazzi” [summer day camp for kids] program at the Vatican on the morning of Thursday, July 3, in the Paul VI Hall.
The Virgin most beloved by the Spanish people, she who most influenced the evangelization of the Iberian Peninsula - appearing to the Apostle James in the year 40 A.D. - now has her image reproduced on the wall of the Bastione di Maestro in the Vatican Gardens. It was Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President emeritus of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, who presided over the inauguration and blessing of the new ceramic panel on Wednesday morning, September 24.
The Church and the people of Haiti have expressed their deep bond with the See of Peter by placing an image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Patroness of the Republic of Haiti, in the Vatican Gardens.
A new Marian mosaic has been inaugurated and blessed in the Vatican Gardens. It is the work dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, Patroness of Slovakia. The ceremony took place on Friady morning, , in the presence of the President of the Slovak Republic, H.E. Mr. Peter Pellegrini.
The Postal and Philately Service (a member of PostEurop since 2012) of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate took part in the 41st General Assembly of PostEurop, with a delegation composed of the Head of Service, Rev. Felice Bruno, and the Service official, Vincenzo Marrese. The meeting took place from October 7 to 9 in Tirana, Albania.
Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, took part in the Board meeting of the Vatican Observatory Foundation (VOF), held on Saturday, March 21, in Tucson, Arizona, United States of America.
Il Cardinale Pietro Parolin, Segretario di Stato, ha benedetto e inaugurato, venerdì mattina, 14 giugno, la Biblioteca della Terza Loggia del Palazzo Apostolico dopo i lavori di ristrutturazione a cura delle Direzioni delle Infrastrutture e Servizi, delle Telecomunicazioni e dei Sistemi Informatici e in collaborazione con quella dei Musei e dei Beni Culturali del Governatorato.
“These are works by the great Cretan master El Greco, an unconventional, irregular and pioneering artist who, from his native Candia—where he trained as an icon painter within the Byzantine tradition—first moved to Venice, where he absorbed the light and color of the painting of Titian and Tintoretto, and then to Rome, where he was called to confront the great masters Raphael and Michelangelo, whom he nevertheless struggled to appreciate.”
The close bond between the See of Peter and Argentina was renewed with the placement in the Vatican Gardens of a mosaic of Our Lady of Luján, Patroness of the South American nation. The solemn blessing and inauguration of the image took place on the morning of Tuesday, September 9, in the presence of Cardinals Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, Leonardo Sandri, Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals and Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President Emeritus of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Monsignors Lucio Adrián Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery of Communications and Guillermo Javier Karcher, Official of the Secretariat of State, Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate, H.E. Luis Pablo María Beltramino, Ambassador of the Argentine Republic to the Holy See, bishops, priests, religious men and women, and representatives of the Argentine community residing in Rome.
The majestic Christmas tree was illuminated and the artistic Nativity scene was unveiled to the sound of traditional music and carols. The moment has arrived when the faithful, pilgrims and visitors can admire the Christmas installations in St. Peter’s Square.
Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga and Sr. Raffaella Petrini, respectively, President and Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, will inaugurate the Nativity Scene and light the Christmas tree, that will be on display in Saint Peter’s Square throughout the Christmas season. The inauguration ceremony will take place at 6:30 p.m., on 7 December.
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