President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
Encyclopedia
The President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is the leader of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
The Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is the legislative body of Vatican City...

, the legislative body of Vatican City
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...

. As a senior member of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...

, the president is normally a cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

 of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

. He is appointed to a five-year term by the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

.

In addition to his legislative role, the President is delegated executive authority for Vatican City by the Pope, under the title President of the Governorate of Vatican City State. This title is distinct from the former title of Governor of Vatican City
Governor of Vatican City
The post of Governor of Vatican City was held by Marchese Camillo Serafini from the foundation of the state in 1929 until his death in 1952...

. Administrations and departments of Vatican City's government, including the Corpo della Gendarmeria
Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City
The Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano is the gendarmerie, or police and security force, of Vatican City. The corps is responsible for security, public order, border control, traffic control, criminal investigation, and other general police duties in Vatican City...

, the Vatican Observatory
Vatican Observatory
The Vatican Observatory is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the Holy See. Originally based in Rome, it now has headquarters and laboratory at the summer residence of the Pope in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, and an observatory at the Mount Graham International...

, the Vatican Museums
Vatican Museums
The Vatican Museums , in Viale Vaticano in Rome, inside the Vatican City, are among the greatest museums in the world, since they display works from the immense collection built up by the Roman Catholic Church throughout the centuries, including some of the most renowned classical sculptures and...

, and the Department of Pontifical Villas (which administers Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo
Castel Gandolfo is a small Italian town or comune in Lazio that occupies a height overlooking Lake Albano about 15 miles south-east of Rome, on the Alban Hills. It is best known as the summer residence of the Pope. It is an Italian town with the population of 8834...

) report to the Governorate.

The structure of the Governorate consists of:
  • 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 Econimic Services
  • Department of Technical Services
  • Vatican Observatory
  • Castel Gandolfo
  • Office for Archeological Research


During a sede vacante
Sede vacante
Sede vacante is an expression, used in the Canon Law of the Catholic Church, that refers to the vacancy of the episcopal see of a particular church...

, 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
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

 becomes a member of a Commission, with the former Cardinal Secretary of State
Cardinal Secretary of State
The Cardinal Secretary of State—officially Secretary of State of His Holiness The Pope—presides over the Holy See, usually known as the "Vatican", Secretariat of State, which is the oldest and most important dicastery of the Roman Curia...

 and the Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, that handles some of the functions of the head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

 until a new pope can be chosen.

Prior to the death of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

, the President was Cardinal Edmund Szoka, the Archbishop of Detroit Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...

. Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

 reappointed Cardinal Szoka to the position on 21 April 2005. On 22 June 2006, it was announced that Cardinal Szoka had resigned his position and would be replaced by Archbishop (later Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

) Giovanni Lajolo
Giovanni Lajolo
Giovanni Lajolo is the Cardinal emeritus President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and emeritus President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.-Early life and ordination:...

, effective 15 September 2006.

List of Presidents

# Name Born-Died Term start Term end
1 Nicola Canali
Nicola Canali
Nicola Canali was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State from 1939 and as Major Penitentiary from 1941 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1935...

1874–1961 20 March 1939 3 August 1961
2 Amleto Giovanni Cicognani 1883–1973 12 August 1961 30 April 1969
3 Jean-Marie Villot 1905–1979 2 May 1969 9 March 1979
4 Agostino Casaroli 1914–1998 28 April 1979 8 April 1984
5 Sebastiano Baggio 1913–1993 8 April 1984 31 October 1990
6 Rosalio José Castillo Lara 1922–2007 31 October 1990 14 October 1997
7 Edmund Szoka 1927– 14 October 1997 15 September 2006
8 Giovanni Lajolo
Giovanni Lajolo
Giovanni Lajolo is the Cardinal emeritus President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and emeritus President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.-Early life and ordination:...

1935– 15 September 2006 1 October 2011
9 Giuseppe Bertello
Giuseppe Bertello
Giuseppe Bertello is a Catholic prelate and currently President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.-Early life:...

1942– 1 October 2011 Incumbent
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