News

An interview with Professor Andrea Arcangeli, Director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene

Two first aid stations for the Jubilee

Two new first aid stations have been opened to meet the demands of the increase in the numbers of pilgrims and visitors during the Jubilee Year. One station is located inside Saint Peter’s Basilica, and the other in the Vatican Museums. The first aid stations were promoted and organized by the Governorate of Vatican City State’s Directorate of Health and Hygiene, as the Director of the Directorate, Professor Andrea Arcangeli, explains in the following interview.

Feast of Saint Barbara, Patron Saint of Firefighters

A call to charity and sacrifice

Celebrating Saint Barbara, a martyr who offered her life for Christ, is an opportunity to remember how much sacrifice is involved in the mission of firefighters. Under the protection of their Patroness, firefighters contribute to the Advent of the Kingdom of God, with their activities, their professionalism and their dedication to others, Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, highlighted during Holy Mass in the Church of Maria, Madre della Famiglia (Mary, Mother of the Family), on Sunday morning, 22 December. The Feast of Saint Barbara was also an opportunity for the families of firefighters to get together and enjoy a moment of refreshment together, three days before the Solemnity of Christmas. The Mass was attended by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate, Mr. Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Gianluca Gauzzi Broccoletti and Mr. Davide Giulietti, respectively, Director and Deputy Director of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Services, Mr. Paolo De Angelis, Coordinator of the Fire Brigade and Fr. Franco Fontana, Chaplain of the Directorate of Security and Civil Protection Services and of the Vatican Museums.

Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga presides at a Eucharistic Concelebration in Saint Peter’s Basilica for Vatican employees, ahead of Christmas

We are all chosen by God, like Mary

“We too, like Mary, were chosen by God to embody his kindness, his tenderness, his mercy. He needs our hands to continue his work and our lips to announce his message”, highlighted Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, on Friday morning, 20 December, as he celebrated Holy Mass for Vatican employees at the Altar of the Chair in Saint Peter’s Basilica, in preparation for the Solemnity of Christmas.

Samsung Electronics Italia’s donation to Vatican City State

Digital totems, LED giant screens and computers for the Vatican Museums and Saint Peter’s Square

On Wednesday afternoon, 18 December, Samsung Electronics Italia s.p.a. formalized its donation of digital totems and latest generation LED giant screens to Vatican City State, with the signing of the deed of donation at the Palace of the Governorate. The devices will be placed in the Vatican Museums and in Saint Peter’s Square, and will be operational by the end of December.

Inauguration of a new mobile post office in Saint Peter’s Square, in the presence of Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga and General Manager of Poste Italiane, Mr. Giuseppe Lasco

Connecting the world

A new mobile post office has been inaugurated in Saint Peter’s Square, just a few days before the opening of the Holy Door.

The inauguration ceremony, with the symbolic handing over of the keys and the signing of the Act of Donation, took place on Thursday morning, 19 December.

Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and the General Manager of Poste Italiane, Giuseppe Lasco, cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony and signed the Act of Donation. Poste Italiane commissioned the project for the new post office to Amdl Circle and to the architect Michele De Lucchi, and then donated it to the Governorate.