The Postal and Philatelic Service of the Governorate of Vatican City State celebrates the reopening of the Basilica of Saint Benedict in Norcia — rebuilt after the severe damage caused by the 2016 earthquake — with the issue of a stamp and a special “Die Emissionis” postmark.

Under the Gaze of the Sedes Sapientiae

On the occasion of the six hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, one of the oldest academic institutions in Europe, the Philatelic and Postal Service of the Governorate of the Vatican City State has chosen to pay tribute to this historic cultural landmark with the issue of a commemorative stamp and a special postmark.

At the service of faith and science

“Why do you stand looking at the sky?” (Acts 1:11). This was the theme of the conference held on Tuesday afternoon, 28 October, at the Embassy of Spain to the Holy See in Rome.

Leadership Oriented Toward Supporting Integral Human Development

Five significant dimensions of “women in Christian religious life today” — presence, formation, diversity, complexity, and service — were illustrated by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, President of the Governorate of the Vatican City State, during a lecture at the Dominican Philosophical Institute of Bologna on Friday morning, October 24.

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).

From October 23 to November 4, 2025 the Vatican Museums will offer visitors the unique opportunity to admire, within the Sistine Chapel, two magnificent tapestries by Raphael. They are displayed in honor of King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s visit to the Vatican, especially for their united ecumenical prayer for the care of Creation, presided over by Pope Leo XIV.

Patroness of Venezuela

A new Marian image has been placed on the walls of the Bastione di Maestro in the Vatican Gardens: Our Lady of Coromoto, Patroness of Venezuela.

In the inaugural ceremony held on the morning of Monday, October 20 — the day after the canonization of the first two Venezuelan Saints, José Gregorio Hernández and Mother Carmen Rendiles Martínez — the mosaic depicting Mary enthroned with the Child was unveiled and blessed.

A Sign of Friendship

As a symbolic gesture of friendship between the Vatican City State and the Republic of Azerbaijan, a pomegranate tree was planted in the Vatican Gardens. The occasion was the visit of H.E. Mrs. Mehriban Aliyeva, First Vice-President of Azerbaijan.

Military history in defense of the Papacy  

For the Jubilee Year 2025, the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with the Directorate of the Pontifical Villas, is presenting an extraordinary exhibition entitled “In Difesa del Papa.” [In Defense of the Pope]