Papal audience experience - Vatican

I was there March 2023 and it was so unorganized. Make sure you pick up your tickets the day before.

We arrived before 7am and were told the wrong place to line up. By the time we realized we were in the wrong line there were so many people ahead of us. Still, we were able to get decent seats. Maybe about 7 rows from the front.

Our visit was pre-covid.

Yes you go through a security screening. The lines moved fairly quickly.

We were at our seats a bit after 8 AM and we were by no means 'first',

I would estimate 75-80% of the folks in attendance sat behind us.

Thank you both. Can you tell me what happens during the audience? Did you sit outside ? We are going in February so I was not sure if it would be inside.
And yes, I know we have to get the tickets the day before, over by the Trevi fountain.

We picked up our tickets at the Vatican.

We sat outside. It was general seating. Everyone just ran to get a seat once through security.

I would get there very early.

Interesting! The email I received from the Bishops office of the United States gave me an office address near Trevi fountain, and we pick them up on Tuesday between 3 pm and 5 pm.
I wonder if it’s a bit different because of the Jubilee.
We are staying at the Hotel Lancelot, so I plan to take an early morning taxi to the Vatican and be there around 745 - 8 am.

It sounds like you went through a third party to get your tickets and not the official site:

http://www.papalaudience.org/tickets

Some info here about the Audience and securing tickets.

https://www.pnac.org/visitorsoffice/wednesday-audience/

Be sure to have taxi take you to St. Peter’s Square
( not just “the Vatican”)

When we went pre Covid we sat outside and it was February. We got there early but not early enough to get front row or near front rows seats. Besides, many of those seats are reserved.
Someone had told us to sit in the last row in the corner so that when the Pope rides around in his PopeMobile you are on the aisle to see him on the side and behind you. Does that make sense?
Different groups from different countries are scheduled to either sing, or dance, or do a short show. We saw a gymnastic group from Poland. Or not. You don’t know till you go.

Swehrendt…you applied for your Wednesday General Audience tickets through the Bishops’ Office for United States Visitors to the Vatican  which is actually a much better way to do it than through the Prefecture of the Papal Household at the Vatican. I have done it both ways and the Bishops’ Office is a much better option for American visitors.

https://www.pnac.org/visitorsoffice/wednesday-audience/

You do pick up your tickets near the Trevi Fountain…at their office at Via dell’Umiltà, 30 …which depending upon where you are staying, may be much more convenient location than the Bronze Doors at the Vatican…especially during the Jubilee.
The Bishop’s Office obtains the tickets through the Prefecture of the Papal Household, but there are distinct advantages for getting your tickets through the Bishops’ Office.
First, if you want to have communion in English before you attend the Audience, there are several priests available for that.
Second, after you pick up your tickets, a seminarian gives a wonderful 15-20 minute presentation on what to expect at the Audience, where to arrive for it, what seats are the best, what the Audience will cover, and if it will be outside or inside. He will be more than happy to answer any additional questions you may have.
I just got tickets this past November for my daughter’s in-laws and I went with them to pick up the tickets and attended the presentation with them. The Audience was on November 27th and it was outdoors.
They arrived at the Vatican at about 8am…the security line at the entrance they used was non-existent.
Do get to the Bishops’ Office a bit before 3pm, as people do line up in the street for the doors to open at 3pm.