See the Pope on Your Trip to the Vatican

Whether you’re religious or not, a trip to the Vatican in Rome is a fantastic addition to your European vacation. If you’d like to meet the Pope himself, you can make a formal request for a papal audience with relative ease.

While receiving a papal audience is not as complicated as one might imagine, there are several important details you should know before attending. The simplest way to ensure an audience is to acquire papal audience tickets and presentation in English, although the Pope delivers speeches in multiple languages.

It’s crucial to reserve tickets well in advance, but remember that tickets to the audience are always free. Audiences with the Pope typically occur every Wednesday morning when he is in Rome. However, keep in mind that the Vatican has a strict dress code prohibiting shorts and tank tops; women’s shoulders must be covered.

How to Experience a Papal Audience

When traveling from Rome, Italy to the Vatican, you are entering an independent country. Although the Vatican is not part of the European Union, EU inter-country travel rules still apply, meaning you won’t need your passport.

The Pope is an early riser; thus, staying close to the Vatican can be beneficial for arriving early and securing a good view of the audience, which typically starts at 10 am. People start lining up as early as three hours before the event.

In summer, the Papal Audience is held in St. Peter’s Square to accommodate larger crowds. However, the square fills up quickly. Although a ticket is required to get closer to the Pope, everyone is welcome to attend, even without a ticket, and there is ample standing room around the perimeter of the square.

What to Expect at the Audience With the Pope

Once the ceremony begins, Pope Francis will greet each language group of visitors who have reserved tickets in advance. He will then guide the audience through teachings and readings, primarily conducted in Italian.

The Pope concludes by leading attendees in a recitation of the Our Father prayer in Latin, printed on the back of your Papal Audience Ticket. Following this, he bestows his Apostolic Blessing on the crowd, allowing those near him to request blessings for religious items such as rosary beads.

The entire event lasts less than two hours; many attendees linger in the square afterward, singing hymns, praying, or taking special tours of the Vatican.

Getting an Official Papal Blessing

Obtaining an official papal blessing can be quite challenging, especially for those residing outside of Rome. There are limited occasions that justify a parchment papal blessing, and one must be a baptized Catholic to qualify.

You can try contacting the Papal Office directly for a blessing via the Apostolic Blessings Office of Papal Charities, or by downloading the request form from the Office of Papal Charities. However, ensure that your occasion requires a blessing before submitting your request.

Significant life events such as baptism, first Communion, and Confirmation qualify for an Apostolic Blessing from the Pope, in addition to marriage, priestly ordination, religious profession, secular consecration, and notable anniversaries and birthdays.