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Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and H.E. Ms. María Isabel Celaá Diéguez, Ambassador of Spain to the Holy See, will inaugurate an exhibition titled, “Bernini’s Souls” at the Pinacoteca of the Vatican Museums on Tuesday, 19 November.
An outpouring of warmth, faith and popular tradition surrounds the great Christmas tree placed at the center of the Courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo. Hand-modeled terracotta figures recall the birth of Jesus. It is a Mexican nativity scene, with an essential number of characters: the Child, Mary, Joseph, the three Magi, a shepherd, and an angel. They have simple yet highly expressive forms: faces absorbed in contemplation of the mystery, all leaning toward the manger surrounded by the ox and the donkey.
The traditional inauguration of the Nativity Scene and the lighting of the Christmas tree will take place in St. Peter’s Square on Monday, 15 December, at 5:00 p.m. The ceremony will be presided over by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, in the presence of Archbishop Emilio Nappa and Attorney Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, Secretaries General of the same Governorate.
Work has begun on the installation of charging stations for electric vehicles and plug-in electric vehicles in the Vatican car park (Petriano). Ten charging stations with 20 ports will be available for “fast” charging, while an additional charging station with two ports for “ultra-fast” charging, will be installed beside the entrance to the Paul VI Hall. The installation of the charging stations is expected to be completed within three months, and be operational by the beginning of the Jubilee year.
The "Ecological Conversion 2035" program, launched in 2022 and aimed at reducing CO2 emissions to zero, has accomplished another important goal: Starting June 16, charging stations for electric vehicles owned by the State and private ones belonging to employees of the Governorate and the Holy See will be available at the Petriano parking lot by the Sant’Uffizio (20 "fast" charging points on 10 columns and two "ultra-fast" charging points on an additional column).
On the morning of Thursday, 21 November, a 29-metre tall red fir tree from the Municipality of Ledro in Trento Region, was delivered to Saint Peter’s Square by special transport organized by the Santoni firm.
It will be raised on Friday, 22 November, and will be decorated with ornaments and lights by the Directorate for Infrastructures and Services of the Governorate of Vatican City State.
At the conclusion of the Christmas Season, wood from the tree will be used to make an art piece that will be displayed at “Ledro Land Art”, which showcases installations made with natural materials, in the heart of Pur’s pine forest in Val di Ledro.
A new quarter has successfully concluded with the internship program involving Villanova University, which featured three students from the American university, once again confirming the strength and value of the collaboration between the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems and the U.S. institution for higher learning.
Forty years of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the United States of America are not only a milestone, but a significant step on the journey of friendship and collaboration. To commemorate the anniversary, the Postal and Philately Service of the Governorate of the Vatican City State issued a postage stamp, which was officially unveiled on Monday morning, September 16, in the conference room of the Vatican Museums. A special postmark with the date of issue [die emissionis ] was prepared for the occasion, reproducing the coats of arms of the Holy See and the United States of America. The postmark reads “40th of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the United States of America”, “Poste Vaticane” and “die emissionis 16.09.2024”.
Twenty days from the entry into force of the Decree of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State on Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence, the Governorate is offering computer skills training courses.
The courses were organized thanks to the professional contribution of technicians from the Information Systems Service and the Internet Service Provider of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems. They are aimed at employees of the Governorate and are structured with exams and assessments.
On the feast of Saint Michael Archangel, Patron of the Gendarmerie, Sunday 29 September at 17:00, and as part of the "Music to the Museums 2024" exhibition, at the Polo Museale of Castel Gandolfo, in the Pontifical Palace, will be held a concert "Ensemble di ottoni" of the Band of the Corps of the Gendarmerie of the Vatican City State.
On the evening of Monday, July 7, in the stunning setting of Piazza del Duomo of Spoleto, in front of a large and enthusiastic audience, the Musical Band of the Vatican Gendarmerie Corps performed a concert dedicated to peace—aimed at “bringing together different cultures and traditions” and “building bridges between distant yet kindred worlds.”
A few thousand flames illuminated the evening of Saturday, May 31, in the Vatican Gardens. As per tradition at the end of the Marian month, hundreds of faithful participated in the recitation of the Rosary.
Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, highlighted the “precious contribution” of the Canadian Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, to the mission of the Vatican Museums, “an essential cornerstone of the Governorate”, during an address read aloud on his behalf, by Msgr. Terence Hogan, Coordinator of the Office for Relations with Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museum, on Thursday afternoon, 31 October. Msgr. Hogan read the Cardinal’s words after celebrating Holy Mass in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace, to mark the conclusion of the annual visit of the Canadian Chapter to the Vatican.
The Commemorative Year dedicated to Father Francesco Denza concluded with a solemn symposium in Moncalieri (province of Turin) that cast new light on the extraordinary legacy of a man able to embody a perfect synthesis of priesthood, education, and cutting-edge scientific research.
The “Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence” issued by the Governorate are built on solid pillars, which are not mere words but operational principles.
Il premio speciale “Marisa Bellisario”, promosso dalla Fondazione omonima, è stato conferito a Suor Raffaella Petrini, Segretario Generale del Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano.
La cerimonia di premiazione della XXXVI edizione si terrà a Roma il 14 giugno.
Il Governatorato dello Stato della Città Vaticano nella realizzazione del programma di sviluppo della mobilità sostenibile, lanciato nel novembre dello scorso anno e denominato “Conversione Ecologica 2030”, continua a sostituire gradualmente le vetture di proprietà dello Stato con veicoli elettrici, al fine di rendere il proprio parco auto a impatto zero entro il 2030.
September 29, 2025, marks the 90th anniversary of the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Vatican Observatory at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo. The Observatory is one of the oldest astronomical institutes in the world: its origins go back to the reform of the calendar from Julian to Gregorian in 1582. It was refounded in the Vatican by Pope Leo XIII in 1891 with the motu proprio Ut Mysticam.
The Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate of the Vatican City State continues its collaboration with Villanova University by hosting, in 2025, students from Philadelphia for the second semester of the academic year. This program, created with the goal of connecting academic research with the practical needs of the Governorate, has once again proven to be a valuable opportunity for both institutions.
The BMW Group has donated a BMW iX60 to the Holy Father.
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