Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
Type
Type
Leadership
Raffaella Petrini
since 1 March 2025
Seats8
Elections
Appointment by the Pope

The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is the legislative body for Vatican City, the smallest country in the world and the headquarters of the Holy See. 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 two secretaries-general and six cardinals appointed by the Pope, the head of state of Vatican City, for five-year terms.

Members

Name Origin Position(s)
Sister Raffaella Petrini Italy President
Archbishop Emilio Nappa Italy Secretaries-General
Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi Italy
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti Italy Members
Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell United States
Cardinal Leonardo Sandri Argentina
Cardinal Arthur Roche United Kingdom
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost United States
Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti Italy

Head of government

The President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State. He or she also has executive powers and is therefore also the Vatican City State’s head of government. From 1929 to 1952 there was also an executive position named the Governor of Vatican City. However, there was only ever one Governor, Camillo Serafini.

List

No. Name Term
Start End
1 Nicola Canali 12 August 1939 3 August 1961
2 Amleto Giovanni Cicognani 12 August 1961 30 April 1969
3 Jean-Marie Villot 2 May 1969 9 March 1979
4 Agostino Casaroli 28 April 1979 8 April 1984
5 Sebastiano Baggio 8 April 1984 31 October 1990
6 Rosalio Lara 31 October 1990 15 October 1997
7 Edmund Szoka 15 October 1997 15 September 2006
8 Giovanni Lajolo 15 September 2006 1 October 2011
9 Giuseppe Bertello 1 October 2011 1 October 2021
10 Fernando Vérgez Alzaga 1 October 2021 1 March 2025
11 Raffaella Petrini 1 March 2025 Currently serving