We will be in Rome Easter week-end. Any suggestions or warnings? We know it will be crowded, advise about how best to navigate the crowds would be appreciated. Also, any suggestions of special services we might participate in?
Posted by
Chicago
2876 posts
Pope John Paul II used to hear confessions in St. Peter's at about 11 AM on Good Friday, and it was a good chance to get a close-up glimpse of him - not to mention getting a blessing from him. We stumbled on this totally by accident one year and wound up being right by the side door that he entered through, no more than 10 feet away from him. I don't know if the current Pope carries on this tradition. Getting blessed by the Pope - particularly THAT pope - on Good Friday in St. Peter's - for a Catholic it doesn't get much better than that.
Posted by
OP
Newport Beach, CA, USA
23 posts
Thank you, how wonderful.
Posted by
Poulsbo, WA, US
223 posts
We caught the holy Thursday service at St Peters in 2009 which is presided over by the pope. You have to get tickets in advance but it was quite a thing to be part of. We left Rome immediately afterward so I can comment much on the weekend but the service was very neat to be part of. I believe you can see parts of it on youtube.
Posted by
OP
Newport Beach, CA, USA
23 posts
Thank you for your reply, that sounds amazing. Unfortunately we won't be in Rome until Friday. We are interested in the Friday night Papal Procession at the Colosseum. We've read there is the Way of the Cross, where the Pope (and onlookers) trace the Stations of the Cross from the Colosseum to Palatine Hills in a torch-lit procession. Wondering if anyone has suggestions for how to best observe this procession.