| Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State | |
| Coa Pic: | Coat of arms of the Vatican City.svg |
| Session Room: | Vatikan-Regierungspalast.jpg |
| House Type: | Unicameral |
| Leader1 Type: | President |
| Leader1: | Fernando Vérgez Alzaga |
| Election1: | 1 October 2021 |
| Structure1: | Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.svg |
| Structure1 Res: | 250 px |
| Members: | 8 |
| Political Groups1: | Nonpartisan |
| Voting System1: | Appointment by the Pope |
| Meeting Place: | Palace of the Governorate |
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.[1]
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.[2]
As of May 2023, the president and the members are:
| 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 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 Congregation for the Oriental 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 Governatorate of Vatican City State |
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.[4]
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.[5]
| Image | Name (Birth–Death) | Term | Length of term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nicola Canali (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 Lara (1922–2007) | 31 October 1990 – 15 October 1997 | |||
| 7 | Edmund Szoka (1927–2014) | 15 October 1997 – 15 September 2006 | |||
| 8 | Giovanni Lajolo (born 1935) | 15 September 2006 – 1 October 2011 | |||
| 9 | Giuseppe Bertello (born 1942) | 1 October 2011 – 1 October 2021 | |||
| 10 | Fernando Vérgez Alzaga (born 1945) | 1 October 2021 – present |
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.[6] In addition to his legislative role, the President is delegated executive authority for Vatican City by the Pope.[7] [8] 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.[9]
The functions of the Governorate include: