Press Release of Vatican City State Governorate
on the occasion of Holy Week 2025

For the Holy Week celebrations, thousands of multicoloured flowers and plants from Italy and the Netherlands will adorn Saint Peter’s Square and the Vatican Basilica. The workers of the Garden and Environment Service of the Directorate of Infrastructure and Services of the Governorate of Vatican City State, in cooperation with those who have offered plants and flowers, will take care of their arrangement and artistic creations.

In particular, for Palm Sunday, 13 April, 150 palms and 200,000 olive branches will be distributed, provided by the National Association of Oil Cities, Lazio Region, under the coordination of Dr. Antonio Balenzano, National Director of the Association.

The distribution of some “phoenix palms” - donated by the Neocatechumenal Way - will be overseen by Mr. Marco Migliorelli of the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

There will also be the traditional woven palm trees, provided by the individual enterprise Errico Grazia of Sanremo.

The large olive trees, which will be placed near the statues of Saints Peter and Paul at the foot of the Churchyard and the Obelisk, will be taken care of by the wholesale floricultural company Flora Olanda of Rome.

During the Easter Vigil, in Saint Peter’s Basilica, floral decorations will be created by the workers of the Garden and Environment Service, thanks also to the contribution of floristry professors from the Biotechnology Centre in Naklo, and a professor from the Biotechnology and Tourism Centre in Novo Mesto, Slovenia.

On Easter Sunday, 20 April, Saint Peter’s Square will be decorated with thousands of flowers and plants cultivated in the Netherlands. The decorations will be realized thanks to the generous contribution of Dutch florists with the cooperation of the Garden and Environment Service workers.

Vatican City, 11 April 2025