News

Interview with Chiara Principe, Coin Artist for the Vatican City State Mint

Inspiration, study, technique and experience

For the first time in the history of the Vatican City State’s numismatic issues, the artistic and creative process behind a coin was carried out entirely on a computer, without using pencils, paper, or sculpting materials, but only the stylus of a graphic tablet. Through this innovative technical approach, the 2024 50-euro gold coin themed “War and Peace” was created. This coin won the Best Gold Coin category of the prestigious international Coin of the Year (COTY) 2025 awards. Achieving this important recognition was the result of a team effort, as explained in this interview by Chiara Principe with www.vaticanstate.va, the designer who has been collaborating with the Vatican City State Mint for thirteen years in coin design.

Interview with Father Felice Bruno, Head of the Vatican Postal and Philatelic Service

New Issues Between Faith and Art

Anniversaries, major historical events, and liturgical celebrations—many occasions find their place in the stamp issue calendar of the Postal and Philatelic Service of the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate. Such is the case with the two stamps scheduled to release on Sunday, September 7, for the canonization of Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, with four sovereign States jointly issuing these values. Father Felice Bruno, Head of the Postal and Philatelic Service, speaks about this in an interview with www.vaticanstate.va.

New Philatelic Issues of the Vatican Post – 7 September 2025

The Postal and Philatelic Service of the Directorate for Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate of Vatican City State announces a new series of philatelic issues to be released on 7 September 2025, in conjunction with significant religious and cultural events and anniversaries. These issues are distinguished by their high symbolic, historical, and spiritual value, as well as by the artistic and collectible quality characteristic of Vatican productions.

Vatican City’s 50-Euro Gold Coin Wins the Best Gold Coin Award

For the first time, Vatican City has won the Best Gold Coin award in the prestigious international Coin of the Year (COTY) competition. The winning coin is the 50-euro gold issue, released by the Governorate in 2024 on the theme “War and Peace.”

The artwork is by Chiara Principe, a young artist from Rome who for years has created images for the Governorate's Vatican numismatic collections.

Pope Leo XIV’s Day Among the Poor of Albano

Hospitality, Compassion, Prayer

In the heart of Albano, within the historic and faith-filled walls of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Rotonda, a day rich in spirituality, sharing, and closeness to the most vulnerable unfolded. On Sunday morning, August 17, Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Eucharist together with people assisted by the local Caritas and its volunteers, transforming the city’s historic center into a lively place of encounter and fraternity.

At Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV presided over the Holy Mass for the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In Mary is our destiny

“When in this life we ‘choose life’ (cf. Dt 30:19), then in Mary, assumed into Heaven, we have reason to see our destiny. She is given to us as the sign that the Resurrection of Jesus was not an isolated event, an exception. All of us, in Christ, can swallow up death (cf. 1 Cor 15:54).” Thus spoke Pope Leo XIV during the concelebrated Eucharist in the Pontifical Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova (Castel Gandolfo) on Friday morning, August 15, on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.