Papal audience - Wednesdays

following...

For tickets to the General Audience during the warmer months (when the Audience is held outside), contact the Church of Santa Susanna, the American Catholic Church in Rome. Santa Susanna is centrally located and easy to reach. Go to their website, where you will find instructions for ordering two free tickets. You will be directed to pick up the tickets at the church, the Tuesday evening before the Wednesday morning General Audience. Be sure to arrive early (around 8AM) prior to the 10 AM Audience, in order to get a good seat. Getting there early makes a big difference, in terms of having the opportunity to get a close view of the Pope, as he moves through the aisles in his vehicle. You will also be able to see everything on one of the large screens. Be prepared for the weather...Hats for the sun and/or rain gear. We have attended Audiences in both kinds of weather. You will go through security/metal detector as you enter the Vatican grounds on Audience mornings. If you arrive at 8AM, you can plan on being there around four hours. It is an exciting experience (even for non-Catholics). Good luck and have a good trip.

I have been there twice, and getting there early, and getting a spot near the back will give you an up and close encounter with the Pope. His vehicle drives by so fast, though, be ready with your camera! Also, I did not have a reserved ticket, and when I got up to the desk that hands them out, they pulled a ticket out of another box and gave to me.

We did not have a full Wednesday to do this on our trip last year. We recommended it to my brother who went on the website and requested tickets for their trip this month. We all got a kick out of the letter which was individually typed on an old typewriter on letterhead, a souvenir in itself.