Greetings - I will be in Rome for 5 days in October (tuesday through Saturday) and am trying to decide if I should schedule around the papal audience. I can find little on what happens with Pope Benedict. Is it worth going to see him, and how early should I be there? Can I see the Basillica beforehand, or is it closed all morning when he has an audience? Can I fit a visit to the Vatican in afterwards (and what time should I schedule my entry time in advance if i do so) I expect our Vatican tour will take some time, as we love art and museums. We are both Catholics, but not extremely devout. Advice, experience and opinions, please! (PS - some of the scheduling questions is how to best make use of a Roma pass and a Vatican visit - it seems like I'll cut the pass in half if we do the Vatican on Wedesday instead of Friday (our other option). Thanks in advance! Karyn
Posted by
Austin, TX, USA
492 posts
We went to a Papal Audience a couple of years ago. If you have tickets for the seated area, the earlier you get there the closer you get to sit. There are also standing areas on both sides of the Piazza if the audience is outdoors. Around 10:00 or so, the Pope arrives on the Pope Mobile and is driven around the crowd and then up to the main stage area. There were jumbotron screens set up so everyone could get a better view of the Pope as he spoke. The Pope addresses the crowd in different languages for 1.5-2 hours, as he addresses different groups or starts to speak in a different language, different parts of the crowd will cheer and holler. Is it worth it? Only you can decide if it is or not. If you are in the standing areas on the side, you can get there late and leave if you decide you've had enough. When we attended the Papal audience, the Basilica was closed for the morning, not really sure how quickly they open it up after the audience is finished since we high-tailed over to the museums before doing a Scavi tour in the afternoon.
Posted by
Little Rock, AR
105 posts
I went to a Papal Audience several years ago with Pope John Paul II. I am not Catholic, but I found portions of the audience deeply moving. In all, it was an experience I will always treasure.