Twenty-three students from Spain, studying for the 2025 Master's Degree, organized by the Cadena de Ondas Populares Españolas, better known as Radio COPE, met with Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate on Friday morning, 24 January, at the Palace of the Governorate.

Gratitude for the valuable contribution

Christmas is always an opportunity to gather together in friendship and communion, as it is also for those who are united in their vocation and mission to preserve the artistic, historical and cultural heritage of the Vatican Museums in order to pass it on to the next generations.

The important role of Catholic Higher Education

Catholic higher education plays “a very important role”, because the Catholic Church “is still a credible Institution, which people trust because of her ability to be in favour of the human person and to be a mediator in seeking solutions to the more delicate problems in society and in our common life”, said Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, during her address at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU), on Sunday morning, 2 February, at the Grand Hyatt Washington in the capital of the United States of America.

Working for the good of all

Sister Raffaella Petrini, General Secretary of the Governorate of Vatican City State, has received an honorary degree in human sciences from Seton Hall University. The official ceremony took place during the 168th Commencement ceremony on Tuesday, 21 May, in the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA.

Le Gouvernorat de l’État de la Cité du Vatican a signé un important protocole de coopération avec l’Agence des Douanes et des Monopoles de la République italienne dans la matinée du jeudi 27 février, au siège romain de l’Agence des Douanes, Piazza Mastai. Le Directeur de l’Agence des Douanes et des Monopoles, Roberto Alesse, et le Président du Gouvernorat, le Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, ont signé l’accord en vue de donner un nouvel élan à la coopération en matière douanière. Cet Accord vise à orienter, dans un monde en pleine mutation, notamment d’un point de vue technologique, l’interopérabilité entre les deux systèmes douaniers, en simplifiant, en actualisant et en rendant les procédures plus efficaces. À cette fin, le Protocole porte sur deux aspects fondamentaux : le premier concerne l’introduction, à titre expérimental, d’un système télématique pour la présentation des déclarations des devises en espèces concernant les mouvements transfrontaliers en provenance et à destination de l’État de la Cité du Vatican. L’adoption de cette technologie rendra les opérations plus rapides, plus précises et plus sûres, allégera les procédures et augmentera la transparence. Le deuxième aspect stratégique de l’Accord concerne la mise à jour continue des compétences du personnel douanier. En effet, une équipe de fonctionnaires qualifiés de l’Agence, grâce à un programme de formation spécifique, mettra à jour le personnel douanier du Vatican, en apportant son soutien à la numérisation des procédures et en partageant les meilleures pratiques déjà suivies par l’Agence des Douanes et des Monopoles.

L’annuncio del restauro del Baldacchino in bronzo della Basilica di San Pietro

Il Segretario Generale del Governatorato, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, ha partecipato su invito del Cavaliere Supremo, alla 142ª Supreme Convention dei Cavalieri di Colombo, che si è svolta dal 6 all’8 agosto a Québec City, in Canada.

The Secretary General of the Governorate, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, has attended the 142nd Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus, held in Québec City, Canada, from 6 to 8 August.

Among the many activities detailed in his annual report at the Convention, the Supreme Knight, Patrick E. Kelly, mentioned the Knights Of Columbus’ funding for the restoration of the bronze Baldachin in Saint Peter’s Basilica. The Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage cooperates with the Fabric of Saint Peter in all diagnostic examinations and in the development of methods of intervention.

Global Innovation and Transformation

Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, will lead a State Delegation at the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24), scheduled to be held in New Delhi, India, from 15 to 24 October 2024. During the Assembly, which will meet after the Global Standard Symposium (GSS-24),  which will take place on 14 October,  Sr. Petrini will deliver an official address.

Innovazione e trasformazione globale

Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Segretario Generale del Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano, guiderà una Delegazione dello Stato alla World Telecommunication Standardization Assemby (WTSA-24), che si terrà dal 15 al 24 ottobre 2024, a New Delhi in India. L’Assemblea sarà preceduta dal Global Standard Symposium (GSS-24), che si svolgerà il 14 ottobre, nel corso del quale Sr. Petrini terrà il suo intervento ufficiale.

Managers with expertise in humanity for a profession experienced as a vocation

Strategies of hope and renewal “cannot avoid engaging with the reality of human work as a fundamental dimension of existence, through which men and women, even within ecclesiastical institutions, build their lives”, said Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate, on Saturday morning, 4 January, during her address to the 34th Seminar for Theology Professors at the Spanish Pontifical College’s Casa San Juan Ávila, in Rome. The course addressed the theme: “Hope for a more humane economy? Between care and hospitality”.

Lights, music and art to announce the birth of Jesus

Christmas music, melodies and lights brightened the darkness of the night. The much-anticipated moment has arrived, when people can admire the nativity scene and see the Christmas tree lights in Saint Peter’s Square. Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga and Sr. Raffaella Petrini, respectively, President and Secretary General, of the Governorate of Vatican City State, inaugurated the nativity scene from Grado and lit the 29-metre red fir Christmas tree, from Ledro, during a ceremony on Saturday evening, 7 December before a crowd of people.

A common journey

“Forty-one years of history of the Patrons of the Arts of the Vatican Museums are the result of a common journey”, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, General Secretary of the Governorate of Vatican City State, said in her greeting to the annual meeting of the Chapters of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums held at the Taylor Education Center in New Orleans on Sunday afternoon, 22 September, the second to last day of her visit to the United States of America.

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.

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.

Changing culture with the Gospel

Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, will be in Houston, as part of a brief journey to the United States, from Friday, 25 October to Sunday, 27 October. On Saturday morning, 26 October, Sr. Petrini is scheduled to deliver a talk at the Lumen Institute, on the theme ,“Mission to change culture” . It will be an opportunity to exchange reflections on cultural changes in the management and administrative area, fostered by the implementation of the principles of Catholic social teaching.

The Illinois Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums is commemorating the tenth anniversary of its initiative, “Integrating Art & Faith”.

On Saturday, 26 October, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, visited the Texas Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, at St. Thomas University in Houston, United States of America.

The Pope’s Museum: a treasure of art and faith

The bond between art and faith, between evangelization and creative expression and the role of the Vatican Museums within this context were some of the topics discussed at a round table discussion between Cardinal Blase Joseph Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, and Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate of Vatican City State, held on Saturday afternoon, 2 November at the University Club of Chicago. Moderated by Rev. Louis J. Cameli, Delegate of formation and mission of the Archdiocese.

The Secretary General of the Governorate, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, and the Director of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems, Mr. Antonino Intersimone, respectively, Chief and member of the Vatican Delegation to the World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24), are back in New Delhi for the conclusion of the global assembly. The closing ceremony will take place on Thursday, 24 October.

Potenziare la collaborazione in occasione del Giubileo

Il Cardinale Fernando Vérgez Alzaga e Sr. Raffaella Petrini, rispettivamente Presidente e Segretario Generale del Governatorato, hanno incontrato la Delegazione dei vertici dell’Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli guidata dal Direttore, Cons. Roberto Alesse. L’incontro, si è svolto, mercoledì mattina, 30 ottobre, nel Palazzo del Governatorato.