First woman to lead the Vatican City speaks at Nazareth University's Interfaith Centennial Summit, April 6

Pope Francis recently named Sr. Raffaella Petrini to lead the governing body of Vatican City

Rochester, NY (04/03/2025) — WHAT: Nazareth University is hosting her only public lecture of 2025. The new head of Vatican City (as of March 2025), Sister Raffaella Petrini, Ph.D., travels from Italy to speak at Nazareth's Interfaith Centennial Summit on Sunday, April 6. She will join two other renowned women scholars, Rabbi Sharon Cohen Anisfeld, president of Hebrew College in Massachusetts; and Najeeba Syeed, J.D., a human rights lawyer and inaugural El-Hibri endowed chair and executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg University.

Nazareth students will introduce the trio of women scholars, who will present Jewish, Christian, and Muslim perspectives on topics significant to our current world: peacebuilding in times of crisis, fostering a leadership of care, and extending compassion.

Sr. Raffaella's visit to Rochester for the Summit comes two years after Nazareth students visited Rome and met with her at the Vatican. She was so impressed by the students that she promised them she would come to Nazareth University. Some students on that trip will be reunited with Petrini at the summit.

WHEN: Sunday, April 6, 1-6 p.m.

WHERE: Nazareth University, Shults Center Forum

MEDIA: Sr. Raffaella Petrini and several Nazareth students available for interviews at 12:30 p.m.

**Please let Nazareth Chief PR Officer Julie Long (cell: 585-781-8186) know if you are attending.**