The Governorate of Vatican City State is committed to the promotion of institutional communication.

The launch of the new website, www.vaticanstate.va, and the creation of an online quarterly magazine, titled, “From the heart of the State – The Governorate shares its news”, are part of this commitment.

A sign of friendship and cooperation

As the Jubilee approaches, the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls is in need of restoration works to ensure that pilgrims can visit the complex in complete safety. To this end, the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of Azerbaijan, signed an agreement titled ,“The Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls - Jubilee 2025”, on Wednesday morning, 11 September. Under the Agreement, which was signed by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Executive Director of the Foundation, the crucial restoration works will be funded by the Foundation.

For another thousand years of splendour

"The Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls - Jubilee 2025": is the theme of the Agreement between the Governorate of Vatican City State and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation of Azerbaijan, which will be signed on Wednesday morning, 11 September, in the Palace of the Governorate, by Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, President of the Governorate, and Anar Alakbarov, Assistant to the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and executive Director.

Cardinal James Michael Harvey, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saintt Paul Outside the Walls, Sr. Raffaella Petrini, General Secretary of the Governorate, Mr Ilgar Yusif oğlu Mukhtarov, Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Holy See and Mr Salvatore Farina, Director of the Directorate of Infrastructures and Services, will participate in the signing ceremony.

The project is funded by the Foundation for the safety and preservation of the marble cladding and decorative apparatuses of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, in preparation for the upcoming Jubilee. The intervention was necessary to ensure the public’s safe transit and passage into the Basilica, as structural movements and widespread rise in water have degraded the marble cladding of the walls and of the columns of the naves.

During the restoration works, the marble surfaces that decorate the aisles and transept of the Basilica will be covered for protection.

Assistance to all Vatican residents and employees

The Governorate’s Directorate of Health and Hygiene is responsible for medical and health care, public health and hygiene, emergency medical care and first aid throughout the territory of Vatican City State, the Pontifical Villas and other buildings and areas provided for by the Lateran Treaty. The first health care system of the Sacred Apostolic Palaces has its roots in the Pontificate of Leo XIII, in October 1893. Through many changes over the years, it is now organized into the Directorate of Health and Hygiene, as it is known by Vatican residents and employees. In particular, it has 26 doctors, specialized in different fields. The following is an interview with Professor Andrea Arcangeli, Director of Directorate of Health and Hygiene of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

A protector against the evils of body and spirit

In 1867, in the middle of August, an epidemic of cholera hit the Castelli Romani. Albano Laziale’s population was almost decimated, with an enormous mortality rate,  a "cemetery of cholera and the plague".