The Band of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps and the Band of the Rome Capital Police performed together in a concert held in the Braccio Nuovo of the Vatican Museums. The event took place on Friday afternoon, 7 November, as part of the series “Music at the Museums – Jubilee 2025”, organized in collaboration between the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage and the Italian National Music Committee (CIDIM).

When musicians point us toward the manger

It addresses anyone who draws near, inviting them to contemplate the mystery of the birth of Jesus. The figure is of a musician of the Band of the Gendarmerie Corps, standing and facing outward from the Nativity scene. He joins the choir of Angels in accompanying the chant Venite Adoremus. With his music he breaks the silence of the night to make known to all the most astonishing news: the Lord is born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary.

Jesus is born amid the flora of the Vatican Gardens

Before drones crossed the sky—when only the stars guided travelers along their way—Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The Prince of Peace came into the world in silence, humility and unknown.

The Pope’s concern for families 

A nursery school born from “Pope Francis’ concern for the families of Vatican employees, so that they can have an adequate structure to which they can entrust their little ones”. The “San Francesco e Santa Chiara” nursery school was blessed by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President Emeritus of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, during its inauguration as the first ever to open within the Vatican Walls. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Monday afternoon, April 14, at its location on Via San Luca.

The Governorate of Vatican City State has undertaken an extensive process of review and renewal of the State Mint and of the Philatelic and Numismatic marketing activities, aimed at ensuring greater efficiency, quality and transparency in all aspects of its operations. This process has involved the entire supply chain: from internal management policies to product design, to the redefinition of safer, more digital and accessible distribution channels.

The portrait of the President Emeritus of the Governorate of Vatican City State, Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, was installed in the presidential corridor of the Governorate Palace on Tuesday morning, June 24.

On December 5^th, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, FSE visited the Ohio Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums in Cleveland, Ohio. At the gala dinner with over 250 persons, the President thanked the Ohio Patrons for their twenty years of selfless generosity in their dedication to restoration of various artistic works of the Vatican Museums.

Responding to times of transition while planning for the future

The annual International Meeting of Chapter Leaders of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums took place in Ottawa, Canada, from September 19 to 21. The delegation from Vatican City was led by Sr. Rafaella Petrini, President of the Governorate and Giuseppe Puglisi-Albrandi, Secretary General. Among other officials, Mons. Terence Hogan, Coordinator of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums also attended.

The fourth event of the WSIS+20 Week and the third day of AI for Good took place at the Geneva Palaexpo for Governance Day. At the heart of the event was the AI Governance Dialogue Roundtable Lunch, attended by the President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, Sister Raffaella Petrini.

A Masterpiece by Andrea Mantegna

From the Deposition of Christ by Andrea Mantegna to twelve other works, this artistic and spiritual journey unfolds through the images of the Virgin Mary’s life.

The human person and their needs are at center

Governing a complex organization like the Vatican City State, oriented to the common good and the integral development of the human person, requires multiple skills and collaboration between individuals and departments. This was emphasized by Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, on Saturday, October 25, during the meeting on "Women’s Leadership and Catholic Universities," held in Rome on Saturday, October 25, promoted by the Executive Program of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU).

A collective reflection is necessary on the social and ethical aspects of AI tools.

As part of the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and currently taking place at the Palaexpo in Geneva, a closed-door Ministerial Roundtable was held for Ministers and key Delegation Leaders from the participating countries.

Economics at the Service of the Person

An economic dimension “essentially understood as being at the service of the person, and thus directed at meeting his or her needs, rather than at the rationalization of scarce resources,” and making economic choices as “integral tools of the Church’s missionary action, through which the evangelical word can be concretely manifested” realizing that spirit of solidarity which breaks with the throwaway culture promoted by the ‘technocratic paradigm.’

The Managerial Approach of Care

A management model inspired by humanism requires “the contribution of leaders capable of building relationships of trust, showing interest in people’s personal stories and circumstances, and willing to accompany their collaborators through the inevitable challenges that every organization faces.” With these words, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, delivered the Lectio Magistralis for the inauguration of the 43^rd academic year of the University of Tor Vergata in Rome. The ceremony took place on Friday, 21 November, in the Ennio Morricone Auditorium of the School of Humanities and Philosophy.

The President of the Governorate, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, participated in the annual Board meeting of the Florida Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, which took place on Friday, April 10, in Palm Beach, Florida.

A warm meeting of friendship and sharing took place between Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and a group of 17 young university students from the Diocese of Trieste, on Tuesday morning, 4 March, in the Palace of the Governorate. The students were led by Fr. Lorenzo Magarelli, Episcopal Delegate of the Diocesan Service of University Pastoral Care and Director of the diocesan weekly, “Il Domenicale di San Giusto”, and Fr. Sergio Frausin, Episcopal Delegate of Culture and University Pastoral Care.

Ilse Aigner, President of the Bavarian Landtag (the parliament of the Free State of Bavaria), accompanied by an official delegation, was received on the morning of September 10 by Sister Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

The President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, participated in the “Presentation of results achieved by the Customs and Monopolies Agency in the year 2024”, for the release of the second edition of “The Report on the State of Affairs in the Customs and Monopolies Agency”.

The event took place on Wednesday morning, May 21, at the Angiolillo Hall of Palazzo Wedekind, in Piazza Colonna in Rome.

Heralds of Hope

“In a particular way during this Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.” This was the message of Pope Leo XIV to the Knights of Columbus, gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 143^rd  Supreme Convention, held from August 4 to 7.