Misplaced Pages

Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
Type
Type	Unicameral
Leadership
President	Fernando Vérgez Alzaga since 1 October 2021
Structure
Seats	8
Political groups	Nonpartisan
Elections
Voting system	Appointment by the Pope
Meeting place
Palace of the Governorate
Website
Official website

This article is part of a series on
Vatican City
History Duchy of Rome (554–751) Donation of Pepin (750s) Papal States (754–1870) Annates Congregation for Borders Fundamental Statute for the Secular Government of the States of the Church Capture of Rome (1870) "Prisoner in the Vatican" (1870–1929) Roman Question Law of Guarantees Lateran Treaty (1929) Vatican City (1929–present) Governorate of Vatican City State 2010 Vatican employee sex scandal History of the Catholic Church since 1962 History of the Papacy Roman Historical Institutes Savoyard Era Vatileaks scandal Vatican Historical Museum Vatican City during World War II
Law Acta Apostolicae Sedis Fundamental Law of Vatican City State Capital punishment in Vatican City Crime in Vatican City Lateran Treaty Legal status of the Holy See (Alperin v. Vatican Bank) (Doe v. Holy See) Temporal power of the Holy See Tribunal of Vatican City State Canon law 1983 Code of Canon Law Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches Apostolic Constitution Pastor Bonus LGBTQ rights in Vatican City
Politics and government Archives Association of Vatican Lay Workers Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State President President: Giuseppe Bertello Pontifical Commission Secretariat for Communications Holy See Press Office L'Osservatore Romano (Vatican City newspaper) L'Osservatore della Domenica List of newspapers in Vatican City Vatican Radio lawsuit Vatican Information Service .va (Vatican City internet sites) Vatican Publishing House Vatican Radio Vatican Television Center Secretariat of State Secretary: Pietro Parolin Fabric of Saint Peter Foreign relations of the Holy See Papal apocrisiarius Governorate of Vatican City State Governor of Vatican City College of Cardinals Camerlengo (Chamberlain) Dean Vical General Court of Cassation President: Dominique Mamberti Court of Appeals President: Pio Vito Pinto Tribunale President: G. di Sanguinetto Military in Vatican City Swiss Guard Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City Corps of Firefighters of the Vatican City State
Papacy Pope Popemobile Catholic Church Latin Church Holy See Diocese of Rome Roman Curia Universi Dominici Gregis Papal conclave (Papal elections) Universi Dominici gregis Recent conclaves 1978 (Oct) 2005 2013 Papal household Papal Gentleman Prefecture of the Pontifical Household
Foreign relations Section for Relations with States Concordats Multilateral foreign policy Status in international law Lateran Treaty Section for Relations with States (Roman Curia) Secretary for Relations with States: Paul Gallagher Undersecretaries for Relations with States: Antoine Camilleri List of diplomatic missions of the Holy See Nuncios Vatican City and Holy See passports Visa requirements Visa policy The Holy See and the United Nations Holy See–Italy relations Holy See–United States relations Holy See–Israel relations Holy See–Palestine relations
Economy Institute for the Works of Religion Telephone numbers in Vatican City Tourism in Vatican City Transport in Vatican City Rail transport in Vatican City Secretariat for the Economy Financial Information Authority Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See Vatican euro coins Vatican lira Properties of the Holy See
Symbols Flag List of Papal flags Anthem Coat of arms of Vatican City 00120 (Vatican postcode) Papal tiara Papal coronation
Culture Vatican Museums Vatican Library Music of Vatican City Sistine Chapel Choir Languages of Vatican City Women in Vatican City Vatican Christmas Tree Sport in Vatican City Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah Postage stamps and postal history of Vatican City Public holidays in Vatican City Pontifical Academy of Sciences Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences The Story of the Vatican, 1941 documentary
Buildings/geography Apostolic nunciature Apostolic Palace Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore Borgia Apartments Bramante Staircase Domus Sanctae Marthae Fountains of St. Peter's Square Gardens of Vatican City Geography of Vatican City Gregorian Tower Mater Ecclesiae (monastery) Monument to the Royal Stuarts Palace of the Holy Office Palazzi Pontifici Papal Apartments Saint Peter's Basilica Saint Peter's Square Saint Peter's tomb Lateran Basilica Lateran Palace Leonine City Niccoline Chapel Old St. Peter's Basilica Papal tombs Papal tombs in Old St. Peter's Basilica Paul VI Audience Hall Tomb of the Julii Torre San Giovanni Scala Regia Via della Conciliazione Vatican Climate Forest Vatican Heliport Vatican Hill Vatican Necropolis Papal Concert to Commemorate the Shoah Postage stamps and postal history of Vatican City Public holidays in Vatican City Vatican Secret Archives St. Peter's Baldachin Sala Regia San Pellegrino in Vaticano Sant'Anna dei Palafrenieri Santa Maria della Pietà in Camposanto dei Teutonici Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope Vatican Observatory Vatican Pharmacy Bibliotheca Palatina Cappella Giulia Cappella Paolina Cardinal Secretary of State Casina Pio IV Circus of Nero Redemptoris Mater Chapel Saints Martin and Sebastian of the Swiss Santo Stefano degli Abissini Santo Stefano degli Ungheresi Teutonic Cemetery Cortile del Belvedere Passetto di Borgo Porta San Pellegrino
Vatican Museums Vatican Museums Vatican Gallery of Maps Gallery of Sistine Chapel ceiling Collection of Modern Religious Art Raphael Rooms Redemptoris Mater Chapel Restoration of the Sistine Chapel frescoes Sistine Chapel Sistine Chapel ceiling The Last Judgment by Michelangelo
Outline Index Vatican City portal Catholicism portal
v t e

The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State (Latin: Pontificia Commissio pro Civitate Vaticana, Italian: Pontificia Commissione per lo Stato della Città del Vaticano) is the legislative body of Vatican City. It consists of a president, who also holds the title of President of the Governorate of Vatican City State and serves as the head of government of Vatican City, as well as seven other cardinals appointed by the pope for five-year terms.

The Pontifical Commission was created in 1939 by Pius XII. Laws and regulations proposed by the Commission must be submitted to the Pope through the Secretariat of State prior to being made public and taking effect. Laws, regulations, and instructions enacted by the Commission are published in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis.

Current members

As of May 2023, the president and the members are:

Position	Name	Country	Other positions
President	Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, L.C.	Spain	President of the Governorate of Vatican City State
Members	Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell	United States	Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life
	Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi	Italy	Archbishop of L'Aquila
	Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko	Poland	Archpriest of Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore
	Cardinal Leonardo Sandri	Argentina	Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches
	Cardinal Arthur Roche	United Kingdom	Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
	Cardinal Mauro Gambetti	Italy	Vicar General for Vatican City President of the Fabric of Saint Peter
	Sister Raffaella Petrini	Italy	Secretary-General of the Governorate of Vatican City State

Governorate of Vatican City State

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State also serves as the head of government of Vatican City, the president of the Governorate of Vatican City State, an office that is distinct from the former title of Governor of Vatican City. In addition to his legislative role, the President is delegated executive authority for Vatican City by the Pope. Administrations and departments of Vatican City's government, including the Corpo della Gendarmeria, the Vatican Observatory, the Vatican Museums, and the Department of Pontifical Villas, which administers Castel Gandolfo, report to the Governorate.

The functions of the Governorate include:

• Legal office
• Office for Personnel
• Office for Civil Records
• Archives
• Accounting Office
• Numismatic and Philatelic office
• Post and Telegraph office
• Shipping office
• Police Department (Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City)
• Tourist Information Office
• Department of Museums and Galleries (Vatican Museums)
• Department of Economic Services
• Department of Technical Services
• Vatican Observatory
• Castel Gandolfo
• Office for Archeological Research

President

In addition to his legislative role, the President of the Governorate of Vatican City State, who since 1 October 2021 has been Archbishop Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, has been delegated executive authority by the Pope for Vatican City, as the president of the Governorate of Vatican City State. As a senior member of the Roman Curia, the president is usually a cardinal of the Catholic Church.

During a sede vacante, the term of the president ends, as do most other offices in the Curia. However, the holder of the office prior to the death or resignation of the Pope becomes a member of the Commission that handles some of the functions of the head of state until a new pope can be chosen, along with the former Cardinal Secretary of State and the Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church.

Governor of the Vatican City State

No.	Image	Name (Birth–Death)	Term	Length of term
1		Marquis Camillo Serafini (1864–1952)	11 February 1929 – 21 March 1952	23 years, 39 days

Presidents of the Governorate of Vatican City State

No.	Image	Name (Birth–Death)	Term	Length of term
1		Nicola Canali (1874–1961)	20 March 1939 – 3 August 1961	22 years, 136 days
2		Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (1883–1973)	12 August 1961 – 30 April 1969	7 years, 261 days
3		Jean-Marie Villot (1905–1979)	2 May 1969 – 9 March 1979	9 years, 311 days
4		Agostino Casaroli (1914–1998)	28 April 1979 – 8 April 1984	4 years, 346 days
5		Sebastiano Baggio (1913–1993)	8 April 1984 – 31 October 1990	6 years, 206 days
6		Rosalio Lara (1922–2007)	31 October 1990 – 15 October 1997	6 years, 349 days
7		Edmund Szoka (1927–2014)	15 October 1997 – 15 September 2006	8 years, 335 days
8		Giovanni Lajolo (born 1935)	15 September 2006 – 1 October 2011	5 years, 16 days
9		Giuseppe Bertello (born 1942)	1 October 2011 – 1 October 2021	10 years, 0 days
10		Fernando Vérgez Alzaga (born 1945)	1 October 2021 – present	3 years, 85 days

See also

• Index of Vatican City-related articles
• Politics of Vatican City
• Pontifical Commission

References

1. ^ Pope John Paul II (26 November 2000). "Fundamental Law of Vatican City State" (PDF). Vatican City State. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2007.
2. "Legislative and executive bodies". Vatican City State. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 12 August 2007.
3. "Organi di Governo". www.vaticanstate.va. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
4. "Presidency of the Governorate of Vatican City State". Archived from the original on 13 March 2013.
5. Pope John Paul II (26 November 2000). "Fundamental Law of Vatican City State" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 February 2008. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
6. "Legislative and Executive Bodies". Office of the President of Vatican City State. 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
7. "Administrations and Central Offices". Office of the President of Vatican City State. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
8. Cardinale, Gianni (6 January 2022). "Morto il cardinale Álvarez Martínez, 96enne pastore emerito di Toledo". Avvenire (in Italian). Retrieved 8 January 2022.
9. Pope John Paul II (22 February 1996). "Universi Dominici Gregis". Retrieved 12 October 2007.

External links

• Vatican City State
• GCatholic.org

• Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
• National legislatures
• Unicameral legislatures
• Heads of government in Europe
• Religion and politics