The members of the “Italian and International” Chapter of the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, led by Sabrina Zappia, President and Amy Gallant Sullivan, Chair of the Chapter, visited the Vatican Museums on Friday afternoon, May 23.

They were welcomed by Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, Secretary General of the Governorate of the Vatican City State and by Monsignor Terence Hogan, Coordinator of the Office for Relations with the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums.

Twenty-Five Years of Collaboration

Nearly twenty-five years after the first technical internship inside the Vatican carried out with students from Villanova University in Pennsylvania, a delegation from the Directorate of Telecommunications and Information Systems of the Governorate of Vatican City State visited the campus of the American university, which had been previously attended by Pope Leo XIV.

Relations between scientists and the Church have not always been easy. So much so that Galileo was condemned in 1633 for defending heliocentrism. It was not until 1992 and a speech by John Paul II that a famous error was officially recognized. Things have changed since then. In the 20th century, the Belgian canon Georges Lemaître developed his famous Big Bang theory. In 1930, the Vatican opened its observatory in Castel Gandolfo. Today, the Holy Father has become a privileged partner in astronomical research. Direction: the cosmos.

Completion of the restoration of the Hall of Constantine

After almost 10 years of restoration works, the Vatican Museum's Hall of Constantine was inaugurated during an official ceremony on Wednesday, 26 February. The ceremony was attended by Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary General of the Governorate, Mr. Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, Deputy Secretary General, Barbara Jatta, Director of Museums and Cultural Heritage, Monsignor Terence Hogan, Coordinator of the Office for Relations with the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums, and Donna D’Urso, leader of the New York Chapter, accompanied by 25 members of the Patrons. The New York Chapter and the Eileen Carlson Estate financially supported the restoration, with a generous contribution. The massive restoration, which began in 2015, was one of the longest  projects to be funded, to date.

Wooden Lithuanian Cross replaced in Vatican Gardens

With a brief ceremony on Monday morning, 24 February, a restored Lithuanian wooden Cross was officially replaced in the Vatican Gardens. The ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Lithuania to the Holy See, H.E. Ms. Sigita Maslauskaite-Mažiliene, accompanied by ChiefClerk, Elze Di Meglio. The Cross was restored by the Vatican Museums.

The ITU plenary assembly agrees on new initiatives

At the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25), the first results of the strategic objectives to catalyze collaboration and knowledge-sharing are taking shape, promoting innovation for a more inclusive digital future.

 Universal, meaningful, and affordable connectivity for an inclusive and sustainable digital future

is the motto of the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC-25), which takes place from November 17 to 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, in the ultra-modern Baku Convention Center, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency for telecommunications of which the Vatican City State is a member .

Spirituality and astronomy

“Spirituality and Astronomy 2024 -- ‘When They Saw the Star, They Rejoiced with Great Joy’” is the theme of a workshop that takes place from 30 August to 1 September at the Vatican Observatory headquarters. The workshop will include introductory lessons, moments of prayer and sharing, visits to telescopes and evenings dedicated to observing the skies. Participants will be accompanied by members of the Jesuit community, Vatican Observatory researchers, professors and amateur astronomers.

"This isn't the end; it's just the beginning," Angela Kopp said enthusiastically on the final full day of the 2026 ACME workshop. Ms. Kopp, a Science Specialist at Holy Cross Catholic School in Overland Park, KS, was one of 25 participants in at ACME--Astronomy for Catholics in Ministry and Education--a biennial weeklong seminar held at the Redemptorist Renewal Center outside of Tucson, AZ. This year's 25 participants included priests, a deacon, science teachers and catechists from around the country--and two from the United Kingdom. 

The Participation of the Vatican Delegation

Today, at the Palaexpo in Geneva, the WSIS+20 High-Level Event 2025 Conference, organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), officially began. The event will run for five days, concluding on Friday, July 11.

Pilgrimage of Hope, a journey through the Days of Consecrated Life

We took part in a World Day of Consecrated Life in Saint Peter’s for the first time in February 2024, when we first arrived at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery. The Day was presided by the Holy Father and shared with a large number of women and men religious. It was an experience of true ecclesial communion, which we lived with profound gratitude in our first year in the heart of the Church. The Pope’s words, that echoed in our hearts with renewed strength, made us better understand what the Church and the world expect from consecrated people, both from those who serve the Church in the ministry of prayer and daily dedication to a hidden and silent life, and those who have the very important mission of bringing the Gospel to all the peoples.