Go to Mass in the Vatican City

I’m not a Catholic and attended only b/c my school’s chior was performing there but it was a surreal experience. If there was one place you know you’re with god, it’s here. I’ve only attended services at United Church which is always in English so a Latin/Italian mass was something new to me. I was lost for almost all of it, and just followed what the nuns a few rows up from me did, but it was amazing none the less.

I’m not Catholic, but I went to an Easter mass there in the square by the basilica at Vatican City. It was amazing to see the masses of people that showed up and just gripped on the pope’s every word. There are these huge big screen tvs everywhere in the square. The Easter mass was really long, so lots of people brought folding chairs. I was really surprised to see the pope “groupies”, these people who would shout out things like “We love you!” to the pope and who had banners saying similar things. Definitely an experience.

My husband and I attended mass inside St. Peters in October 2006. Advise: get there early to get through security; apply for the Scavi Tour and go right into St. Peters when you are through; be flexible – the mass we attended was in Italian, and we only speak English. Wednesdays the Pope holds a general audience that is free to the public but you will need to get a ticket; ask the Swiss Guards where to get your ticket. We got there about an hour early and sat within 100 yards of the Pope!