Editing Vatican City (section)

=== Head of state ===
{{Main|Pope|President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State}}
{{See also|List of Sovereigns of the Vatican City State}}

[[File:20070610 Rome 29.jpg|thumb|The [[Apostolic Palace]] (''Palazzo Apostolico''), the official residence of the Pope. Here, [[Benedict XVI]] is at the window marked by a maroon banner hanging from the windowsill at centre.]]

As Vatican City is governed by the [[Holy See]], the pope is [[Ex officio member|''ex officio'']] the [[head of state]],<ref>One of the titles of the Pope listed in the ''[[Annuario Pontificio]]'' is "[[List of Sovereigns of the Vatican City State|Sovereign of Vatican City State]]" (page 23* in recent editions).</ref> a function dependent on his primordial function as bishop of the [[diocese of Rome]] and head of the [[Catholic Church]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 October 2021 |title=In Biden's visit with the pope, a page from Reagan's playbook? |url=https://theconversation.com/in-bidens-visit-with-the-pope-a-page-from-reagans-playbook-170077 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220507183342/https://theconversation.com/in-bidens-visit-with-the-pope-a-page-from-reagans-playbook-170077 |archive-date=7 May 2022 |access-date=8 May 2022 |website=www.theconversation.com}}</ref> The term "Holy See" refers not to the Vatican state but to the pope's spiritual and pastoral governance, largely exercised through the [[Roman Curia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Code of Canon Law: text – IntraText CT |url=https://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P19.HTM |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009091217/http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P19.HTM |archive-date=9 October 2020 |access-date=3 August 2020}}</ref> His official title with regards to Vatican City is ''Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City''.

[[Pope Leo XIV]], born Robert Francis Prevost in [[Chicago]], United States, was [[2025 papal conclave|elected]] on 8 May 2025. His principal subordinate government official for Vatican City as well as the country's ''[[de facto]]'' [[head of government]] is the [[President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State]], who since 1952 exercises the functions previously belonging to the [[Governor of Vatican City]]. Since 2001, the president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State also has the title of president of the Governorate of the State of Vatican City. The president is the Italian sister [[Raffaella Petrini]], who was appointed was appointed by [[Pope Francis]] on 1 March 2025,<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 February 2025 |title=Pope Francis appoints an Italian nun as the first woman governor of Vatican City |url=https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2025/02/15/woman-governor-vatican-city-249941 |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=America Magazine |language=en}}</ref> and was reconfirmed by [[Pope Leo XIV]] on 9 May 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Review |first=Global Banking and Finance |date=9 May 2025 |title=Pope Leo temporarily confirms Vatican heads in current roles |url=https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/POPE-LEO-VATICAN-fd81d996-a441-4092-8c80-fa1926f8a5cd |access-date=11 May 2025 |website=Global Banking And Finance Review |language=en}}</ref>