Sede Vacante 2025

The arms of Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell below the symbol of the Apostolic Chamber — two crossed keys beneath a baldachin. The issuing state 'CITTÀ DEL VATICANO' appears along the left edge; the commemorative inscription 'SEDE VACANTE' along the right edge; and the Roman numeral year 'MMXXV' along the lower edge. A dove with an olive branch at the upper right divides the running text. The Rome Mint mark 'R' is positioned below the Camerlengo's arms, flanked by the engraver's abbreviation 'SP INC.' (Silvia Petrassi) on the left and the designer's abbreviation 'O. ROSSI' on the right.

Sede vacante — Latin for "empty seat" — refers to the period between the death or resignation of a pope and the election of his successor. During this time, papal authority is suspended; leadership of the Catholic Church is assumed by the College of Cardinals. A central role in this period falls to the Camerlengo (Cardinal Chamberlain): he administers the temporal affairs of the Holy See, seals the papal apartments, and, together with the Dean of the College of Cardinals, organises preparations for the conclave. In 2025, the office of Camerlengo was held by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish-American cleric who has headed the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life since 2016. The Apostolic Chamber, which he presides over during the sede vacante, traces back to the medieval financial and administrative centre of the Papal States and continues to exist as an institution today.

Vatican City, recognised as a sovereign state by the Lateran Treaties of 1929, is with about 0.44 square kilometres the smallest state in the world. As an issuer of euro coins, it holds a special position: it is not a member of the European Union, but under separate monetary agreements it is permitted to mint its own euro coins bearing Vatican designs — in limited quantities and exclusively for collectors. Periods of sede vacante are traditionally documented numismatically: the coat of arms of the acting Camerlengo replaces the papal design during this time, making these issues historical records of an extraordinary moment in Church history. The 2025 sede vacante, triggered by the death of Pope Francis on 21 April 2025, ended with the election of Pope Leo XIV on 8 May 2025 — after a conclave lasting around three days.