Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
Vatican City legislative body From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State (Latin: Pontificia Commissio pro Civitate Vaticana, Italian: Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Città del Vaticano) is the legislative body of Vatican City.[1] It consists of a president, who also holds the title of President of the Governorate of Vatican City State and serves as the head of government of Vatican City, as well as six cardinals appointed by the Pope, the head of state of Vatican City, for five-year terms.[1]
Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Raffaella Petrini since 1 March 2025 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 7 |
 | |
Political groups | Nonpartisan |
| Elections | |
| Appointment by the Pope | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Palace of the Governorate | |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
The Pontifical Commission was created in 1939 by Pius XII. Laws and regulations proposed by the Commission must be submitted to the Pope through the Secretariat of State prior to being made public and taking effect.[1] Laws, regulations, and instructions enacted by the Commission are published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.[2]
Current members
As of 1 March 2025, the president and the members are:
| Position | Name[3] | Country | Other positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE |  Italy |
President of the Governorate of Vatican City State |
| Members | Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell |  United States |
Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life |
| Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost | United States |
Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops | |
| Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti | Italy |
Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches | |
| Cardinal Arthur Roche |  UK |
Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments | |
| Cardinal Leonardo Sandri |  Argentina |
Prefect emeritus of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches | |
| Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik |  South Korea |
Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy |
Governorate of Vatican City State
Summarize
Perspective
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (July 2021) |
The President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State also serves as the Vatican City State’s head of government, as the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, an office that is distinct from the former title of Governor of Vatican City.[4] In addition to his legislative role, the President is delegated executive authority for Vatican City by the Pope.[5][6] Administrations and departments of Vatican City's government, including the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City, the Vatican Observatory, the Vatican Museums, and the Department of Pontifical Villas, which administers Castel Gandolfo, report to the Governorate.[7]
The functions of the Governorate include:
- Legal office
- Office for Personnel
- Office for Civil Records
- Archives
- Accounting Office
- Numismatic and Philatelic office
- Post and Telegraph office
- Shipping office
- Police Department (Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City)
- Tourist Information Office
- Department of Museums and Galleries (Vatican Museums)
- Department of Economic Services
- Department of Technical Services
- Vatican Observatory
- Castel Gandolfo
- Office for Archeological Research
President
Summarize
Perspective
In addition to the officeholder's legislative role, the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, who since 1 March 2025 has been Sister Raffaella Petrini, has been delegated executive authority by the Pope for Vatican City, as the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State. As a senior member of the Roman Curia, the president has usually been a cardinal of the Catholic Church,[8] however the current officeholder is a religious sister and as such the first woman to hold this position.
During a sede vacante, the term of the president ends, as do most other offices in the Curia. However, the holder of the office prior to the death or resignation of the Pope becomes a member of the Commission that handles some of the functions of the head of state until a new pope can be chosen, along with the former Cardinal Secretary of State and the Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church.[9]
Governor of the Vatican City State
| No. | Image | Name (Birth–Death) nationality |
Term | Length of term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Marquis Camillo Serafini (1864–1952) Italy |
11 February 1929 – 21 March 1952 | 23 years, 39 days |
Presidents of the Governorate of Vatican City State
| No. | Image | Name (Birth–Death) nationality |
Term | Length of term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Nicola Canali (1874–1961) Italy |
20 March 1939 – 3 August 1961 | 22 years, 136 days |
| 2 | .jpg) |
Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (1883–1973) Italy |
12 August 1961 – 30 April 1969 | 7 years, 261 days |
| 3 |  |
Jean-Marie Villot (1905–1979)  France |
2 May 1969 – 9 March 1979 | 9 years, 311 days |
| 4 | .jpg) |
Agostino Casaroli (1914–1998) Italy |
28 April 1979 – 8 April 1984 | 4 years, 346 days |
| 5 |  |
Sebastiano Baggio (1913–1993) Italy |
8 April 1984 – 31 October 1990 | 6 years, 206 days |
| 6 | Rosalio Lara (1922–2007)  Venezuela |
31 October 1990 – 15 October 1997 | 6 years, 349 days | |
| 7 | Edmund Szoka (1927–2014) United States |
15 October 1997 – 15 September 2006 | 8 years, 335 days | |
| 8 |  |
Giovanni Lajolo (born 1935) Italy |
15 September 2006 – 1 October 2011 | 5 years, 16 days |
| 9 |  |
Giuseppe Bertello (born 1942) Italy |
1 October 2011 – 1 October 2021 | 10 years, 0 days |
| 10 |  |
Fernando Vérgez Alzaga (born 1945)  Spain |
1 October 2021 – 1 March 2025 | 3 years, 151 days |
| 11 | Raffaella Petrini (born 1969) Italy |
1 March 2025 – present | 46 days |
See also
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.