Pope Francis has decided to appoint Sister Raffaella Petrini as president of the Vatican Governorate, a key position in the administration of Vatican City. Sister Raffaella, currently Secretary General, will assume her new role on March 1, 2025. This appointment underlines the drive towards greater female participation in senior positions at the Holy See. The appointment also reinforces the importance of efficient and transparent governance in Vatican management.
Sister Raffaella Petrini is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and an official of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples since 2005. She was born in Rome on January 15, 1969. She obtained a degree in Political Science from the Guido Carli Free International University and a doctorate from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Since 2022, she has held the position of Secretary General of the Governorate, succeeding Cardinal Fernando Vergéz Alzaga, who will turn 80 on March 1.
