The luminescence properties of Ce- or Ce and La-doped gadolinium pyrosilicate(Gd_2Si_2O_7, GPS) were characterized using vacuum ultraviolet(VUV) excitation light. A prominent emission band was observed in the luminescence spectra with excitation at 60 nm and ascribed to 5d-4f transition of Ce~(3+). Because the excitation wavelength of 60 nm corresponded to the excitation in the host matrix, this result indicated that the excitation energy transfer occurred from the host matrix to Ce~(3+) ions. On the basis of the rise in the luminescence time profiles with excitation at 60 nm, the energy transfer occurred within 2 ns, which was much shorter than that of Ce-doped Gd_2SiO_5. For Ce-doped GPS, the decay rate was slower for the host excitation than that for direct excitation of Ce~(3+). In contrast, for Ce and La-doped GPS, no significant difference was observed for the host excitation and direct excitation of Ce~(3+). This result indicated that the energy transfer from the host to Ce~(3+) ions led to a different radiative decay process, and that La doping had an effect on the energy transfer and decay process. The luminescence properties of Ce- or Ce and La-doped gadolinium pyrosilicate (Gd_2Si_2O_7, GPS) were characterized using vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation light. A prominent emission band was observed in the luminescence spectra with excitation at 60 nm and ascribed to 5d- 4f transition of Ce ~ (3+). Because of the excitation wavelength of 60 nm corresponded to the excitation in the host matrix, this result indicates that the excitation energy is transferred from the host matrix to Ce ~ (3+) ions. basis of the rise in the luminescence time profiles with excitation at 60 nm, the energy transfer occurred within 2 ns, which was much shorter than that of Ce-doped Gd_2SiO_5. For Ce-doped GPS, the decay rate was slower for the host excitation This contrasts for Ce and La-doped GPS, no significant difference was observed for the host excitation and direct excitation of Ce ~ (3+). This result indicates that the energy transfer from the host to Ce ~ (3+) ions led to a different radiative decay process, and that La doping had an effect on the energy transfer and decay process.