Vatican hosts first-ever Longevity Summit: “Challenging the Passing of Time”

The Vatican took a significant step into one of the most compelling frontiers of our time—human longevity—by hosting its first-ever Vatican Longevity Summit, titled “Challenging the Passing of Time.”

TThe event, organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, brought together world-renowned experts in science, medicine, and theology to examine both the scientific breakthroughs and the ethical implications surrounding life extension and healthy aging.

The summit was formally introduced during a press conference earlier that same day at 12:15 p.m. at the Holy See Press Office in Rome, followed by the full summit program in the afternoon at the Augustinianum Conference Centre, just steps away from St. Peter’s Basilica.

At the press conference, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, affirmed the Church’s ongoing commitment to walk with humanity at every stage of life. 

Describing longevity as "a challenge and a blessing," he encouraged society to reflect on how we care for the elderly and uphold their dignity amid rapid technological change.

Professor Fr. Alberto Carrara, LC, president of the Organizing Committee, emphasized the summit’s interdisciplinary character. He underscored the exciting possibilities emerging from neuroscience, genetics, and biotechnology while stressing the need to guide such advances with ethical wisdom and a holistic understanding of the human person.

Among the summit’s most prominent voices were two Nobel Prize laureates. Professor Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, recipient of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, contributed his insights into molecular biology and its role in aging. 

Meanwhile, Professor Shinya Yamanaka, awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Medicine and a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, spoke on his pioneering discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells—now central to regenerative medicine and potential age-related disease treatments.

Also present was renowned neurosurgeon Professor Giulio Maira, founder of the Atena Foundation, who reminded participants that any vision of extended life must include attention to brain health.

“To extend life without preserving the quality of thought, memory, and consciousness,” he warned, “would be incomplete.”

The Vatican Longevity Summit marked a historic convergence of faith and science. As aging populations grow around the world, the Church is calling for a deeper reflection on how to grow older not just longer, but better—with purpose, meaning, and care rooted in human dignity.

The press conference was live-streamed globally via the Vatican News YouTube channel, allowing people around the world to engage in this timely and profound dialogue.

Through this initiative, the Vatican affirms that while modern science may succeed in adding years to life, it is faith, ethics, and solidarity that ensure those years are truly worth living.