We were lucky enough to spend one year’s Spring Break in Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast and ended up spending Easter with Pope Francis. Spending Holy Week leading up to Easter in Rome and the Vatican can seem overwhelming with crowds and activities. These are our lessons learned and tips for attending Easter mass at the Vatican. It was one of the best and unforgettable experiences we’ve ever had.
Getting Tickets to the Easter Mass at The Vatican
If you plan to attend the Easter mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City officiated by Pope Francis, get your tickets as soon as you get your plane ticket. Tickets are free. But, thousands of people attend this event and there is a limit on ticket distribution.
Download the form at the Prefecture of the Papal Household website and fax when completed. Keep the international charges in mind when faxing. They will contact you with instructions to pick up once approved for tickets.
You can also send an email to the Pontifical North American College ([email protected]) requesting for tickets. Allow them about two weeks to respond to your request.
You can also request for the Good Friday Celebration or the Easter Vigil tickets from them. Though, these tickets are more limited since it is inside the basilica.
Limited tickets are also available from the Swiss guards. You know, those men wearing the very colorful striped uniforms. We actually got our tickets from them through luck.
We were hesitant at first about attending the Easter mass due to the large crowds so didn’t get tickets in advance. All the Easter decorations around Rome inspired us. So, we decided to attend the mass the day before.
Our Livitaly Tour guide during our Vatican Museums early entrance tour suggested we try asking the Swiss Guards if they had any tickets left. We asked one of the Swiss Guards on the left side of the colonnade.
He directed us to another guard by the store/post office who still had a few tickets the day before Easter. So, it pays to ask any Swiss Guard you come across.
Get There Early
While the papal mass starts at 10AM, get to St. Peter’s Square as early as you can when they open the barriers at 7:30 AM. Seating and even a place to stand on is on first-come, first-serve basis in the designated area.
Ticket holders may be turned away from the enclosed area if there is no more space. Though, you can still attend the mass way in the back and behind many people and barriers along with the non-ticket holders.
There was already a long line at the entrance near the Vatican Museums around 7AM when we arrived. This may be due to this location being the closest one to the Ottaviano metro entrance. Check for other entrances which could have a smaller crowd.
Tips for Before The Mass
Eat well. Have a hearty breakfast before coming to the square. There are no concessions within the square.
There were bakeries and vendors nearby while waiting in line. Many of us were drinking coffee and hot chocolate while queuing.
Wear layers. We got really lucky with the weather during our visit with the sun shining and not too cold. But, it was raining hard the day before during our visit to the Colosseum. So, be prepared and wear extra clothing to peel off as it gets hotter. And an umbrella is always a good idea.
Pack lightly. There is security bag check so minimize what you’re bringing into the square. We went through scanners that were similar to those used at airports.
Using Restrooms/Toilets. The restrooms were located outside of the barrier so you will need to go through security scans and show your ticket again. Plan your restroom use wisely.
Pack a lot of patience. There will be a lot of waiting in lines to enter, for security scans and before the mass if you get there early. Bring things to entertain the kids. This is also a great time to admire the architecture around St. Peter’s Square.
There isn’t much to do or any place to go once you’re seated and waiting for mass to begin. This may be harder to do if you’re standing in one area for a couple of hours with kids.
Seating for the Mass
Choose Your Seats Wisely. There were limited seating on plastic chairs in a designated area towards the front. Get to these seats as fast as you can.
We were lucky enough to have these seats which helped a lot during the waiting period and during mass. It paid off to come early.
Try to get seats near the large pathways. The “Popemobile’, the small vehicle used by the Pope to go around and greet everyone, will pass through these routes and you will get prime spots. See photo below for how they look.
The Easter Mass at The Vatican
Sitting through the Mass. Most of the mass and everything Pope Francis said was in Italian. But, if you’re Catholic, you can pretty much follow along with the mass ritual.
There were some reading parts done in various languages. They also gave out a small booklet to follow along the mass.
It was actually quite organized and fast to receive communion considering the number of people there. Several priests came out on the aisles which helped out a lot.
The Pope Mobile
See the Pope up close. After mass, Pope Francis boarded his “Popemobile” which was the small vehicle he uses publicly to go around and be seen.
It went to the back section first. If you’re not seated next to the “Popemobile” paths, get to an open area by the barrier as quickly as you can.
We saw people running for open areas and there were many abandoned chairs. We got lucky and my son and I made it almost to the front.
Since many other visitors were standing on the chairs, we followed and had the chance to be pretty close to Pope Francis. Look, he even made eye contact with us.
The vehicle moved fast and didn’t stop. So, grab every opportunity and find those openings to see the Pope up close.
As a Catholic, it was an unreal feeling to be within feet of the Pope. It was hard not to get caught up with the waves of emotion that surrounded us. People were crying, screaming or just filled with so much joy and excitement.
The Pope’s Blessing
Stay for the Pope’s Blessing. The Pope next appeared on the upper central terrace of St. Peter’s Basilica to give the blessing “for the City and for the World” called Urbi et Orbi around noon. We didn’t understand a single word since it was in Italian but you can read the context afterwards somewhere on the Internet if you’re really interested.
Since this was after the mass, visitors don’t need tickets. But, it was still pretty crowded since most of the mass goers stay for the blessing. Bring something from home or buy from one of the souvenir stores for the Pope to bless (e.g. rosary, cross) during the Easter blessing.
More Tips for After the Easter Mass at The Vatican
Remain alert. It was very crowded all over Rome and the Vatican City during our Easter weekend visit. Pay close attention to your belongings and be aware of your surroundings especially in public transportation and in attractions. These crowded areas are hot spots for pickpockets even at the Vatican and on holy grounds.
Do activities afterwards. The Easter festivities ends around lunchtime and there were plenty of restaurant options surrounding the square. You can also continue with sightseeing activities but keep in mind that some may be close.
St. Peter’s Basilica reopens around 1 PM after the crowd subsides. It’s free to enter this beautiful church and shouldn’t be missed. Visitors can also climb the dome or cupola for a panoramic views of the square and the surrounding area.
Keep in mind that to get to the top you must climb 551 steps or take the elevator/lift and then climb the 320 steps. The Vatican Museums are closed during Easter Sunday and Monday.
Relish every moment. There were many times throughout those few hours that I was staring in disbelief up at these statues surrounding St. Peter’s Square. It was even more unbelievable to see and hear the pope’s voice live.
The logistics, waiting and crowd may seem overwhelming but it was all worth it. We’d do it all over again and will be better prepared with these tips next time. It will be pretty hard to top this Easter celebration though.
Other Easter Mass options around the Vatican
If you can’t get tickets to the papal mass at St. Peter’s Square, there were nearby churches with English masses. They started around the same time and leaves enough time to hear the papal blessing at noon.
The Bishop’s office at the Vatican was Church recommended Santo Spirito in Sassia which is three blocks from St. Peter’s Square on Borgo Santo Spirito 3. Their English mass was at 10AM.
*Have you spent Easter at the Vatican?
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Great tips! And wow, what a dream come true. Not only did you get to spend Easter at the Vatican (whoa! so many people!) but you also saw the Pope. A friend of mine’s son was just inducted into the priesthood and he was able to say Mass with the Pope while he was at the Seminary. She and her whole family traveled to Rome to see this – it was for New Years – and I know it was a dream come true with incredible memories. Same as for you.
What a memorable experience! I hope to do that some day.
I can’t remember if I shared this story with you. The deacon at our church and his wife had planned to go on a tour of Rome, the Vatican and Assisi with a group from our church. Sadly, his wife was diagnosed with cancer right before the trip, and they of course had to cancel. A few years later, his wife was deemed cured, and they decided to finally take that trip in December so that they could attend Christmas mass at the Vatican. The deacon had been helping out the bishop a lot, so he asked the bishop’s office how to get tickets. What happened after that is incredible. Long story short, we turned on the the TV to watch the Pope say mass and realized that the man next to him was our own Deacon Dan! Based on Facebook, no one in the parish knew about it. He was asked MANY questions when he returned!
Wow, what a unique experience. Lucky you and great advice for anyone wanting to ever attend. I’m a Catholic, though I found Vatican City exciting as it was without mass ;-)
#WeekendWanderlust
Thank you for these tips. We are currently in Rome and did not receive the tickets before we left for our trip. SO I just sent an email to see if we can still get them. We will also try to ask from the Swiss guards and maybe we’ll get lucky, too!