Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is the legislative body of Vatican City. It consists of a president, who also holds the title of President of the Governorate and deputizes as the head of government of Vatican City, as well as six cardinals appointed by the Pope, the head of state of Vatican City, 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.

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Current members

Following the most recent changes on 15 October 2025, the president and the members are:

Position

Name

Country

Other positions

President

Sister Raffaella Petrini

Catholic Church in|Italy

Governorate of Vatican City State

Administrations and departments of Vatican City's government, including the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City, 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
Tourist Information Office
Department of Museums and Galleries
Department of Economic Services
Department of Technical Services
Vatican Observatory
Castel Gandolfo
Office for Archaeological Research

President

The president of the Pontifical Commission also serves as the Vatican City State's de facto head of government, as 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 their legislative role, the president is delegated executive authority for Vatican City by the Pope. As a senior member of the Roman Curia, the president has usually been a cardinal. Raffaella Petrini is the first woman to hold the position. Article 8 n. 1, of the Fundamental Law, promulgated in 2023, previously stated: “The Pontifical Commission is composed of Cardinals, including the President, and of other members, appointed by the Supreme Pontiff for a five-year term.” But in 2025, Pope Leo XIV replaced this with, “The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is composed of Cardinals and other members, including the President, appointed by the Supreme Pontiff for a five-year term”, thus allowing people who are not cardinals to be president.
When the papacy is vacant, the term of the president ends, as do most other offices in the Curia, and the person occupying the position becomes a member of the Commission that handles some of the functions of head of state until a new pope is chosen, along with the Cardinal Secretary of State and the Cardinal Camerlengo.