Pope Taps Sr. Raffaella Petrini for Key Vatican Job

Secretary-General of Governorate of Vatican City State

Sr. Raffaella Petrini
Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist Raffaela Petrini with Pope Francis © Vatican News

Pope Francis has appointed the Reverend Sr. Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E., until now official of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples, as secretary-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

The Reverend Sr. Raffaella Petrini was born in Rome on 15 January 1969. She was awarded a degree in political sciences by the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Guido Carli, and a doctorate from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, where she is currently a lecturer. From 2005 to the present, she has served as an official of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.

Appointment of member of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, O.F.M. Conv., archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, president of the Fabric of Saint Peter, and vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City State, as member of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State.

Appointment of the deputy secretary-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State

The Holy Father has appointed the distinguished Mr. Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, head of the Legal Office of the Governorate of Vatican City State, as deputy secretary-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State.


The distinguished Mr. Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi was born in Rome on 23 October 1966. He was awarded a degree in law from the University of Rome La Sapienza. Since 2014 he has served as an official of the Governorate of Vatican City State where, since 2017, he has been office head of the Legal, Civil Status, Registry, and Notarial Office.