Hi,
We are hoping to attend mass at the Vatican on a Sunday (June 1st) when we are there. What is the best chapel to attend mass in? How far in advance will we know if the Pope will be there? I know we can get tickets from the Swiss Guards, but I don't want to have to arrive too early to get tickets. Can I just get tickets in advance online? Thanks
Full details here. https://www.st-peters-basilica-tickets.com/mass/
Whether or not the Pope will be there. - well, he's not well at the moment.
The Pope rarely says public mass at St Peters other than special feast days. And if course, the current Pope is limited by poor health. However you can certainly attend one of the masses said daily. There is no "best:" chapel. A mass is a mass. And dont expect it to be in English. St Peters is actually a parish church too, so services are in Italian (with a Latin one sometimes daily)
This site (for information purposes) may be helpful. It does list the mass times and locations
Wait, you have to get tickets to attend Mass? Is it not just considered "going to church"?
It depends where one goes. Obviously attending mass at the Vatican isn’t the same as just entering a church and mass isn’t in English. Many places still do mass in Latin.
Wait, you have to get tickets to attend Mass? Is it not just considered "going to church"?
This isn't your neighborhood parish church. It's St Peters, which sees many thousands of visitors daily, even when it's not a Jubilee year. There are only so many people that the chapels can hold at any given time. So yes, if you want to attend a mass at St Peters, you need a ticket. Tickets are free, but you still need one.
Free tickets are largely required for most papal services. The Pope's calendar is here and, as you'll see, only extended into very early April given his frailty. As well, services and events he was scheduled for currently and in the very near future are being handled by others while he's hospitalized or have taken other forms. For instance, today's Ash Wednesday mess will be presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Major Penitentiary.
https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/events/year.dir.html/2025.html
Most of these events//services normally require tickets but may be cancelled due to his illness or be conducted by others.
Hi Heather. The previous answers say you need tickets and then direct you to a website for more info. But the website itself says no tickets are needed. Our experience from about 8 years ago: St Peters is HUGE. So big that a service can be happening in one part of the building and you may not even be aware of it in another part of the bldg. We went to just walk around inside, which in itself is of course impressive. At the time we went (Sunday late afternoon), we noticed there happened to be a service going on in one corner of the bldg. For the service, there was a control point with ushers; no tickets were needed; you just indicated to the usher by body language that you wanted to attend the service, and they let you in; you then just found your own seat. The service was in Latin and Italian; with beautiful choir and organ music. After about 30 minutes, we quietly excused ourselves. I am not catholic, but it was extremely memorable just to attend a service in that building. Enjoy!
“The previous answers say you need tickets and then direct you to a website for more info. But the website itself says no tickets are needed. ”
The OP wants to attend a papal mass. For those types of services you definitely do need (free) tickets. The website confirms this, just scroll down to the heading “Masses with the Pope”.
You are correct that you don’t need tickets for one the many regular masses that take place every day. However the OP is not looking to attend a regular mass, they want to attend a mass officiated by the Pope.
As I read the OP's question they are wanting to attend a mass on a certain date (irrespective of whether the Pope is celebrating that day) but were inquiring whether there would be the added 'benefit' (or whatever other word you want to use) of having the Pope celebrating.
Whether or not the Pope was in good health that appears to be a piece of string. Like in any Cathedral round the world (eg St Paul's Cathedral or Westminster Roman Catholic Cathedral in London) whether or not the Bishop of the Diocese is celebrating on a particular day is not announced more than a few weeks in advance. Reading the website that appears to be the case at St Peter's as well. Reading the website it seems that there isn't a way of getting the free tickets online- you turn up, write in, email or call them, so does take a degree of effort and commitment.
There is no "best:" chapel. A mass is a mass.
I at least understand what this means. Yes mass is mass, and it doesn't matter where it is held. But even in my little local Cathedral (Carlisle) there are different Chapels- some of which are more interesting than others- some are only open for services, not the casual visitor, so there would be an added benefit of Mass or Office in one of the side chapels as compared to in the Quire or the rather open Regimental Chapel. If a Visitor said they wanted to attend a service or Office at Carlisle Cathedral, even as a devout worshipper I would try to find out where it was to be held, as it would make a subtle difference. It even does to me (and I have been to Mass or other Daily Office at Carlisle scores of times, sometimes the only member of Laity present), even if ultimately I just want to go to 8am or whichever service. Likewise at almost any UK Cathedral I can think of. Doubtless at St Peter's each Chapel has it's own particular history, and unique fixtures and fittings.
Even at St Paul's Cathedral in London I have been to Morning Office and been the only Lay Person present. I doubt that ever happens at St Peter's.
The OP wants to attend a papal mass. For those types of services you definitely do need (free) tickets. The website confirms this, just scroll down to the heading “Masses with the Pope”.
You are correct that you don’t need tickets for one the many regular masses that take place every day. However the OP is not looking to attend a regular mass, they want to attend a mass officiated by the Pope.
Thank you for understanding my confusion about needing tickets to attend mass. Obviously I would expect a Papal Mass to require tickets, but when in London we just showed up for services at St. Paul's. (I didn't read the OP question as asking about Papal Mass in particular) I would have assumed that a regular mass would be the same at St. Peter's, as I imagined that there are people who actually live there and attend regularly, and I can't imagine they would have to get a ticket every time.
