{"id":31273,"date":"2017-07-16T18:55:22","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T01:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/?p=31273"},"modified":"2025-04-08T02:53:21","modified_gmt":"2025-04-08T09:53:21","slug":"how-to-see-the-pope-at-the-vatican-in-rome-the-papal-audience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bucketlistjourney.net\/how-to-see-the-pope-at-the-vatican-in-rome-the-papal-audience\/","title":{"rendered":"How to See the Pope at the Vatican in Rome: The Papal Audience"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re visiting Rome and want to cross off the ultimate bucket list experience<\/a>, you\u2019ll absolutely want to be a part of the Papal Audience at the Vatican with the Pope \u2014 and the warmer months of the year is a great time to do it! In the spring, summer, and early fall, Sunday Mass is held outside, in St. Peter\u2019s Square. The larger venue means it\u2019ll be easier for you to attend than during the cooler months, when the Papal Audience is held in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is some planning and preparation involved, but attending the Papal Audience is a truly unique experience that\u2019s well worth the effort (it was my favorite thing I did in Rome!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for a full guide to attending an outdoor Papal Audience at the Vatican.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Papal Audience vs. Angelus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Pope addresses the public twice a week when he\u2019s in Rome: on Wednesday mornings for the Papal Audience (also called General Audience), and on Sunday mornings (and holidays) for the Angelus. Both are always free to the public, although you\u2019ll need to get tickets beforehand if you want to attend the Papal Audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Papal Audience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the summer, the Papal Audience is held in St. Peter\u2019s Square to accommodate crowds of up to 80,000 people. Who can draw a bigger crowd than the Pope?<\/strong><\/span> Mass itself lasts about an hour or an hour and a half, but it\u2019s really a morning-long engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angelus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For the Angelus, the Pope addresses crowds from his apartment window overlooking St. Peter\u2019s Square. The Angelus is much shorter than the Papal Audience\u2014only 15 or 20 minutes\u2014and includes greetings (sometimes in multiple languages), the Angelus prayer, and blessings. It\u2019s a good alternative if you don\u2019t have the time to get tickets for the Papal Audience, but I would definitely recommend attending Sunday Mass if you have the opportunity!<\/p>\n\n\n\n