Know Before You Go: Seeing the Pope in Rome

Contrary to what many people believe, there are no specific rules as to who can see the Pope. You do not need to have special permission from the Catholic Church or an insider Vatican contact to attend a papal audience in Rome. In fact, these public events are held most Wednesdays when the pope is in Rome, and anyone with a ticket can join the thousands of attendees from across the globe. (The schedule for these audiences is published on the Vatican’s papal events page, and audiences are scheduled about a month in advance.)

Tickets are free of charge, but you must request them in advance through the Prefecture of the Papal Household by email. The papal audience lasts around 90 minutes and includes an address, prayer, and homily, as well as the blessing of religious articles.

Insider tip: Even if you’re not attending a papal audience, you should still check the schedule while planning your trip to Rome, because St. Peter’s Basilica is closed to visitors on the morning of papal audiences. On these days, you can visit the Vatican Museums but not the church or St. Peter’s Square.

The pope does not preside over every Sunday Mass held in St. Peter’s Basilica, but he does preside over papal Masses and over holiday Masses during Christmas and Easter. Like the Wednesday papal audience, these Masses are limited to attendees with tickets, and the tickets are free but must be requested in advance via the Prefecture of the Papal Household.

The Sunday Angelus (a short public prayer) and papal blessing, however, is always led by the pope, in person, and you don’t need a ticket to attend. Simply arrive in St. Peter’s Square by noon, and you can watch as the pope delivers his short weekly sermon, Angelus prayer, and apostolic blessing from the window of his study.

Summer audiences (and some Masses) are held outdoors in St. Peter’s Square, but in the winter these events are moved indoors to the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall (also accessed through St. Peter’s Square).

Insider tip: When the pope is traveling or on summer holiday, the Sunday Angelus and blessing is suspended. Check the updated Vatican calendar at the beginning of each month to confirm the papal Mass and Angelus schedule.

You need to have a ticket to attend a papal audience or Mass, but these tickets are always free. All you have to do is send an email request to the Prefecture of the Papal Household at least a few weeks in advance, using their standard form (you can find both the email and the form here).

Minutes after sending your request, you will receive an automatic reply confirming receipt, and a few days before the event you will receive an email voucher and instructions about where to pick up your tickets. Present this voucher to the Swiss Guards at the Bronze Doors in St. Peter’s Square on the afternoon before the audience or Mass to pick up your actual tickets. You can also pick up audience tickets (but not Mass tickets) on the morning of the audience at the Bronze Doors.

There is also a second, easier way to get tickets: Book a Vatican City tour for pope sighting that includes papal audience or Mass tickets. These Vatican City sightseeing experiences generally also include assistance accessing St. Peter’s Square and finding the best viewpoints to watch the service.

Insider tip: Ticketholders are guaranteed entry first, so those without tickets (if allowed entry at all) must stand at the very back, and once capacity is reached, will be denied entry for safety reasons. So, reserve tickets to avoid disappointment.

The pope’s schedule is fickle and only announced about a month in advance, so it can be hard to guarantee that you’ll catch the Holy Father when you’re in Rome. The only times of year the pope does not travel are during the most important holy days, around Christmas and Easter, so these are the best times of year to visit if you want to guarantee that you’ll be able to attend the Wednesday papal audience, the Sunday (or holiday) Mass, and/or the weekly Angelus and blessing.

Insider tip: Because of the high demand for tickets for Christmas and Easter events with the pope, you should send your ticket request at least a month or two before the holiday. Alternatively, you can make sure you’ll have guaranteed entrance by booking an Easter Mass tour or Christmas Mass tour that includes admission.

The papal audience generally begins around 9am (Mass times vary), and security opens the gates to St. Peter’s Square at around 7:30am–8am. To nab the closest viewing spots, you should arrive at least by 7am, especially in the summer, when the audiences are attended by thousands. To catch the Sunday Angelus at noon, you only need to arrive a few minutes in advance; the pope makes this address from his study window, high above St. Peter’s Square, which is easy to see from any spot on the square.

Insider tip: Though you can pick up your tickets for the papal audience from 7am on the morning of the service, it's best to pick them up the afternoon before. That way, you don’t waste time before taking your place in line to enter St. Peter’s Square.

Everyone is welcome at the papal audience, including children. Keep in mind, however, that there is no guaranteed seating and the security line can be long (even for ticketholders). Bring snacks and drinks (both are allowed through security), and a small umbrella for shade (large umbrellas are not allowed). For younger tots, a backpack or baby carrier is a better option than a stroller, which would offer only a view of the crowd’s knees during the service.

Insider tip: Pack a small pair of binoculars so younger kids can pass the time getting close-up views of the statues around the colonnade in St. Peter’s Square. Once the audience begins, they can also enjoy a better view of the Holy Father.

Most guides to attending papal Mass and lists of St. Peter's Basilica visitor tips highlight the modest dress code required for entering the basilica. But even audiences and Masses held outside, in the square, require conservative dress. If your knees, shoulders, or midriff are exposed, you may be denied entry; longer shorts and skirts, bare shoulders covered just by shawls, and sandals are all allowed. You can wear a hat to protect yourself from the sun for outdoor services, but men must take off hats and baseball caps to enter the basilica.

Insider tip: Both indoor and outdoor services have the same dress code.

You can sit (in provided chairs) or stand at papal audiences, but you can’t book your spot in advance. If you arrive early and are among the first to enter when security opens the gates to the square, you can make your way to the closest open spots to the front. Though there is no hard-and-fast rule about “saving” seats, it is considered bad form, so plan on arriving with your entire family or group. The pope will sometimes make his way along the center aisle after the audience, so spots along the central security railing are your best bet for a personal greeting or handshake.

Insider tip: The pope ends the Wednesday audience by blessing religious objects (bibles, rosaries, etc.), but you don’t have to be sitting in a specific spot, since the pope simply imparts a general blessing over the crowd.

There are no special tickets for attendees who use wheelchairs, so if someone in your party uses a wheelchair, you'll still just request a ticket using the general admission email and form, collect your ticket the afternoon before, and wait in the security line with the rest of the crowd.

However, once you're inside St. Peter’s Square, the person using the wheelchair (and one companion) will be directed to the special section towards the front, along the center aisle, that's reserved for wheelchair seating. This location is also a prime viewing spot and a great location for watching the Holy Father make the rounds among the crowd after the audience.

Insider tip: There are accessible restrooms in St. Peter’s Square to the right side of the Basilica entrance, near the first aid station.

• How is the Pope chosen? When a pope dies or resigns, the College of Cardinals gathers to elect a new pope. This papal election is called a conclave, and it takes place in absolute secrecy behind the sealed doors of the Sistine Chapel.

• What is the role of the Pope in the Catholic Church? The pope is the bishop of Rome and highest authority in the Roman Catholic Church. In addition to leading the Church’s spiritual direction, the pope also guides its social and charitable work across the globe.

• How large is Vatican City and what is its significance? Vatican City is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church, the residence of the pope, and the smallest city-state in the world. It covers just 0.17 square miles (0.44 square kilometers) and has a population of just a few hundred residents.

• What are the main attractions to see in Vatican City? By far the most famous attractions inside Vatican City are St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Gardens. Other attractions include the Vatican Grottoes, Vatican Necropolis (or Vatican Scavi), and St. Peter’s Dome.

• How can you meet the Pope in Rome? There are two main ways to meet the Pope in Rome: the Wednesday papal audience and the Sunday Mass or Angelus prayer and public blessing, both of which are held in St. Peter’s Square. The Holy Father sometimes proceeds down the center aisle after the Wednesday audience, so if you grab a spot along the security railing there, you may get a rare chance to meet him in person and shake his hand.