On Thursday morning, 27 February, the Governorate of Vatican City State signed an important Protocol of Cooperation with the Customs and Monopolies Agency of the Italian Republic at the Agency's headquarters in Piazza Mastai, Rome. The agreement, which is aimed at revitalizing customs cooperation, was signed by Mr. Roberto Alesse, Director of the Customs and Monopolies Agency, and by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate.

The Governorate of Vatican City State is committed to the promotion of institutional communication.

The launch of the new website,www.vaticanstate.va, and the creation of an online quarterly magazine, titled, “From the heart of the State – The Governorate shares its news”, are part of this commitment.

In its ongoing effort to update and digitize its communication, the Governorate of Vatican City State has launched a YouTube channel: Governatorato_SCV.

As part of its commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible innovation, starting July, for the first time, the Governorate will offer its employees a medium and long term vehicle leasing service.

The institutional website, www.vaticanstate.va , which has been available in Italian, Spanish and English, as of 13 September, has been expanded to include a version in French.

Stamps and coins of the Vatican City State now available

Das of today, the new platform www.cfn.va is online, dedicated to Philatelic and Numismatic activities.

Collectors and enthusiasts of philately and numismatics from all over the world can purchase the official products of the Vatican City State directly online, thanks to a completely renewed e-shop. The new platform has been designed to offer a modern, simple and accessible shopping experience to a global audience.

The traditional Vatican issue, in the Jubilee year, entrusted for the first time to a young artist from the School of Medallic Art of the Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato [Italian State Mint]

The Governorate of Vatican State has inaugurated its X (Twitter) account, aimed at informing the public on its activities.

The creation of the account, “Governatorato SCV”, has the aim of reaching people and bodies that primarily use social media to get their information, and strengthening wide-ranging communication to make the activities of the Governorate known.

A compass to guide the journey in respect of dignity, ethics, and transparency

The topic of artificial intelligence is often “perceived as ambiguous: on the one hand, it generates excitement for the possibilities it offers, while on the other it gives rise to fear for the consequences it foreshadows”, Pope Francis said in his address at the G7 Session on Artificial Intelligence, in Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, on Friday, 14 June.

For the restoration of four historic statues in the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls

A contribution has been made to carry out restoration work on four sculptures inside the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Specifically, these include the two statues representing Saint Peter and Saint Paul located inside the Basilica itself, and two sculptures situated in the quadriportico depicting the figures of Saint Paul and Saint Luke.

A sign of friendship and cooperation

As the Jubilee approaches, the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is in need of restoration works to ensure that pilgrims can visit the complex in complete safety. To this end, the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of Azerbaijan, signed an agreement titled ,“The Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls - Jubilee 2025”, on Wednesday morning, 11 September. Under the Agreement, which was signed by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Foundation, the crucial restoration works will be funded by the Foundation.

The operations to dismantle the Nativity Scene and remove the Christmas tree set up in St. Peter’s Square for Christmas have been completed. As announced, starting on Monday, January 12, after the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, the dismantling and relocation activities began. These were carried out by staff from the Directorate of Infrastructure and Services of the Governorate, together with the organizers of the Nativity.

Patroness of Venezuela

A new Marian image has been placed on the walls of the Bastione di Maestro in the Vatican Gardens: Our Lady of Coromoto, Patroness of Venezuela.
In the inaugural ceremony held on the morning of Monday, October 20 — the day after the canonization of the first two Venezuelan Saints, José Gregorio Hernández and Mother Carmen Rendiles Martínez — the mosaic depicting Mary enthroned with the Child was unveiled and blessed.

The Postal and Philately Service under the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems, informs that the joint postal issue between the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Vatican City State, celebrating the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis, scheduled for Sunday, April 27, has been temporarily suspended until further notice. The canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis itself had to be suspended in mourning of the death of our Holy Father Pope Francis.

The conditions and needs of the sick, in the eyes of a throwaway culture, may not respond to rigid and callous canons of profit and productivity. As a consequence the ill can be easily marginalized, especially in modern society. On April 5 and 6 physicians, health care professionals together with patients and volunteers celebrated the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers for this Holy Year.

Astronomy: an experience of wonder and contemplation

A Jesuit’s Guide to the Stars: Exploring Wonder, Beauty, and Science, published in February 2025, is the title of the latest book by Brother Guy Consolmagno. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Brother Consolmagno has a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree from MIT, as well as a PhD in planetary sciences from the University of Arizona. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1989, and was appointed Director of the Vatican Observatory by Pope Francis, in 2015. 

1. “Jesus… rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet  and dry them with the towel around his waist. (Jn 13:4–5).

A masterpiece restored to its original splendor

“A restoration that has revealed many technical, stylistic, and methodological insights from one of the great Renaissance projects. A restoration that must be called ‘exemplary,’ as it reflects the ongoing work of the vast machine that is the Vatican Museums in the fields of research, conservation, and restoration.

The Musical Band of the Gendarmerie Corps, directed by Stefano Iannilli, and the Musical Band of the Italian Military Navy, directed by Ship Commander, Antonio Barbagallo, will hold a concert on Friday, 25 October, at 6:00 p.m. in the New Wing of the Vatican Museums. The concert will be the last in the series of concerts titled, “Music at the Museums 2024”.

A Historic Moment

It was indeed a historic moment, for the first time ever the musical bands of the Corps of the Gendarmerie and the Pontifical Swiss Guard performed together. The concert, held in the presence of Pope Leo XIV, took place on the evening of Monday, September 29, in the courtyard of the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, on the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, Patron of Vatican City State.