Vatican to have first female governor

January 22, 2025 | 15:24 |6085

Pope Francis has announced the appointment of nun Raffaella Petrini as the Governor of the Vatican. This was reported by Vatican News.

For the first time in the history of the Vatican, a woman will be its governor. For the last 96 years, since the founding of the city-state, this post has only been held by men.

Raffaella Petrini has been the Secretary General of the Vatican Governorate since 2021. She will replace Archbishop Fernando Verges Alzaga, who turns 80 in March.

Prior to this, in January, Pope Francis appointed Italian nun Sister Simona Brambilla as the head of the department overseeing the religious orders of the Catholic Church. She became the first woman in history to head one of the Vatican departments.

ORIENT News