On February 12, 1931, Guglielmo Marconi was the first to speak from the microphones at the Vatican Radio Station, commissioned by Pope Pius XI, who entrusted him with the design of this extraordinary instrument of communication.
Ninety-five years later, the Pope’s Radio continues its mission: to spread the Gospel, the voice of the Bishop of Rome, and the papal teachings throughout the world, remaining attentive to the needs of the people and serving them.
From the beginning, it was not just a technical innovation, but a pastoral choice: to use the most advanced means to reach people’s hearts. Over time, Vatican Radio has endured wars and reconstructions, totalitarianism and peace processes, social and technological transformations, always carrying a message of hope in light of the Church’s social doctrine.
It has served nine Popes, helped reunite families during World War II, chronicled the Second Vatican Council, the Jubilees, and the challenges of the universal Church, up to the most recent conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, Congo, Myanmar, Yemen, and Syria. It has been and continues to be an instrument of prayer, information, and education at the service of the world.