I'm a Baptist who has the opportunity to pay 55 Euros to attend the Wednesday Mass at the Vatican with Pope Benedict. Can anyone tell me how long this lasts? Will it be worth it? I know it is done in several languages, and I wonder how much I'll understand/benefit from.
Posted by
Beaverton, Oregon, USA
72 posts
I believe Wednesday is the day the Pope holds his audience in St. Peter's Square. I suspect this is what you would be attending. Tens of thousands of your newest friends will be attending with you.
Admission is free, but you do need a ticket (easily available via web/email from the Santa Susanna church in Rome).
If this is the event you are referring to, I wouldn't pay 55 euros unless you were getting transported, fed, or some other benefit.
I would plan on 3-4 hours. You need to arrive early to get a seat reasonably close to the platform. Bring water and sunscreen.
Posted by
Arlington
127 posts
Here's a Methodist's take on it! I attended a Wed. mass in '03, & it was really moving. I don't know what we paid, as it was part of a tour...but the experience of seeing/hearing thousands of the faithful from all over the world, many in native dress, singing in different groups around the auditorium, & the anticipation (& reality) of seeing/hearing Pope John Paul, & the pomp & ceremony with all the cardinals, made it one of my favorite memories of Rome.
Posted by
Daly City, CA
58 posts
Just to let you know, anyone can attend mass at any Catholic church, including the Vatican, for free. I know some churches are charging admission for tourists, but if you state that you are attending mass, they will let in for free.
Posted by
NYC, USA
219 posts
Yes, it is free to attend any Catholic mass. For the Vatican, it depends upon the circumstances. If it's a canonization or Easter or any other mass when the pope leads, you will need a ticket, although I do not know if you have to pay for it. When the pope says a mass at Yankee Stadium this April, I will need a ticket to get in and for me it is free. I do not know if my diocese picks up the tab. My guess is the ticket is for security reasons. But, paying 55 euros--- I would like to know the circumstances.
Posted by
OP
Stuttgart, Germany
2 posts
Thanks for the comments you three have shared so far. I think the 55Euros is for the tour bus, guide, etc. that will get us to the experience. I do think the experience of worshiping with so many others would be neat. Mostly worried about the husband.
Effie
Posted by
St. Louis
239 posts
Hi Effie--I second Eric's reply. If it's a Vatican tour you are getting for your money, you can certainly find a cheaper tour than that! And mass is always free. The hat/sunscreen suggestion is good, too. Part of the three-four hours will be spent sitting or standing, waiting for mass to begin. If your husband feels uneasy, remind him it's a cultural experience as well as a religious one. If he has never attended a mass before, you could read about or talk to a priest about the structure/format of the liturgy so he knows what is going on. Chances are all the mass parts will be in Latin and the homily will be in Italian. You can take an English version of the day's readings with you--the same readings are used all over the world, so you can copy them from an English missal before you leave. Also, you can go to a Catholic bookstore before you leave and get a small leaflet that has the Latin prayers on one side and the English translation on the other so you can follow along.
Posted by
Beaverton, Oregon, USA
72 posts
One more clarification: The Wednesday audience in St. Peter's square is not a mass, but rather a papal audience. Here is the description from the Church of Santa Susanna website (a great source of info on Rome and the Vatican - www.santasusanna.org)
News about the Wednesday Papal Audiences in 2008: The Wednesday Audiences are at 10:30 AM either in St. Peter's Square (Piazza di San Pietro) or in the Audience Hall, depending on the weather and the size of the crowd. In January and February they are in the Audience Hall. Tickets are necessary and can be ordered by clicking on "Tickets" above. Please note that there is NO audience on February 13 2008 (when the Pope and his staff are on their Lenten Retreat or April 16 2008 (when Pope Benedict will be in the United States!!).
Posted by
Scottsdale, AZ, USA
1127 posts
Look very carefully at the this "tour's" description. What it describes as a tour is probably a ride from the tour office on a bus to the Vatican. You're paying 55 euro per person for a ride to/from St Peter's Square - a taxi would only be about 10 euro each way.
Request tickets from Santa Susanna, the American Church in Rome: http://www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/popeVatican.html.
The tickets are free, although donations are welcome.