Pope Appoints Sister Petrini as President of Vatican Governorate

Vatican City: The Pope has appointed Sister Raffaella Petrini as President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate, effective March 1, 2025, as announced by the Vatican press office on Saturday. Sister Petrini previously served as Secretary General of the Governorate.

According to Ansa News Agency, the Pope had revealed his intention to make this appointment during a recent television interview. This decision marks a significant milestone within the Vatican’s leadership structure, continuing a trend of appointing women to prominent positions.

Last month, the Pope appointed the first-ever woman to head a Vatican department by naming Sister Simona Brambilla as Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Sister Brambilla, like Sister Petrini, was previously Secretary of the institution she now leads.