An outpouring of warmth, faith and popular tradition surrounds the great Christmas tree placed at the center of the Courtyard of the Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo. Hand-modeled terracotta figures recall the birth of Jesus. It is a Mexican nativity scene, with an essential number of characters: the Child, Mary, Joseph, the three Magi, a shepherd, and an angel. They have simple yet highly expressive forms: faces absorbed in contemplation of the mystery, all leaning toward the manger surrounded by the ox and the donkey.
On Friday, October 31, as part of the Jubilee celebrations, the Vatican Observatory, in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), presented two special events dedicated to the beauty and mystery of the universe.
Military history in defense of the Papacy
For the Jubilee Year 2025, the Directorate of Museums and Cultural Heritage, in collaboration with the Directorate of the Pontifical Villas, is presenting an extraordinary exhibition entitled “In Difesa del Papa.” [In Defense of the Pope]
The Vatican Observatory Partners with Johns Hopkins University and the Space Telescope Science Institute on Its Inaugural Gallery Exhibition, WONDER BOUND.
The Governorate of Vatican City State has recently introduced a new fleet of electric vehicles, continuing its path toward eco-friendly mobility within Vatican territory and the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo. The initiative stems from a collaboration with Exelentia, a company specializing in zero-emission transport solutions.
- The Musical Bands of the Swiss Guard and the Gendarmerie in a Joint Concert at Castel Gandolfo for Pope Leo XIV
- Deum Creatorem Venite Adoremus – Ninety Years of the Vatican Observatory at Castel Gandolfo
- Interview with Bro. Guy Consolmagno, past Director of the Vatican Observatory
- At the Pontifical Villas in Concert Together, the Band of the Gendarmerie and the Pontifical Swiss Guard Band
