Rome Travel Answers

Anca, I haven't ever had to pick up the tickets for a Vatican event but from the Vatican website, it looks like tickets for both audiences and "liturgical events" (which would be "masses") are picked up at the same place: "can be picked up at the ticket office located just inside the Bronze Door (by the right colonnade of St. Peter’s Square)" (see the bottom of vatican.va/various/prefettur... ) For the time, the safest bet is "from 15:00 to 19:30 on the preceding day " because I can't be sure that the office is open in the morning EXCEPT on Wednesdays, the day of the audiences...make sense? Bill

Yes, I think so. It has sense. But I was afraid not to be wrong and go at the wrong hour and loose time, because in Rome there are so many things to do and we have only 3 days.It is also written that you can pick up the invitations from 8,45 to 10,30 the same day of the audience...And because we have a plan we were wondering when to go?In the morning or in the afternoon?To follow the plan it would be great to be in the afternoon...Anyway, I think we will manage. Thank you anyway.Anca

Yes, I saw that remark about the "same day of the audience", but I am assuming that this is because the audiences tends to be at a set time in late morning AND the audiences tend to be only on Wednesdays, whereas the liturgical celebrations can be at varied times and on any day of the week, so I wouldn't assume that the ticket office would be open every day in the morning. Furthermore, I can't think of any other place in the Square or Basilica where tickets would be given out...unfortunately, if the ticket office is near the bronze doors, this sounds like it is inside security, which means that picking up the tickets will take some time. When I was in Rome last month, the lines in the morning for security stretched halfway around the Square (afternoons were better)...look at saintpetersbasilica.org/vati... for a map of where the Bronze doors are...the security stations (with metal detectors) is very close to this spot (in the curved part of the colonnade), and I don't think you can get to the doors without going through security...but you can see when you get there...just don't get there too late in the day such that the ticket office closes while you're still in line... Anyway, better to go in the afternoon the day before... Bill

As an alternative, it might be good to send an e-mail to Santa Susanna re picking up tickets there, even though you have not made reservations through them, you do have your reservation. They do answer e-mails promptly and would undoubtedly be more convenient without security lines. Info here on my Vatican City page: vatican.va/various/prefettur...

Further information from the Church of Santa Susanna in Rome: News about the Wednesday Papal Audiences in 2011 (updated March 9, 2011, at 6:08 AM): There will be Wednesday General Audiences in March, April and May with the exception of Wednesday, March 16 when the Pope is on his Lenten Retreat (there will be the 12 Noon Angelus on the preceeding and following Sundays in St. Peter's Square for which tickets are not required). The audiences will be help either in St. Peter's Square or in the Audience Hall next to St. Peter's Basicilia at 10.30 AM. TICKETS ARE REQUIRED. You can reserve tickets here at our website, click on Tickets and scoll down. Reserved Tickets can be picked up on Tuesday afternoon, between 5:00 and 6:45 PM at the Vistors' Desk in Santa Susanna Church OR on Wedesday morning at the same desk between 7:30 an 8:30 AM. We do not received tickets for any other Papal events or liturgies, only the Wednesday General Audiences. Also - NEWS FLASH from the Vatican - All Papal Audiences are cancelled for JULY 2011

I heartily agree that working through Santa Susanna would be much easier, but in this case, I don't think it will help since it appears that Anca wants to go to the Holy Thursday ceremonies and Santa Susanna handles only general audience tickets...is that right, Anca? Bill

As already stated by Santa Susanna above: We do not received tickets for any other Papal events or liturgies, only the Wednesday General Audiences. Read more: VT Forum temporarily unavailable

Yes, I do not want to go to the audiences, we have reservations for the Thursday morning Liturgical service, called Chrism mass, at 9.30 am in St Peter s Basilica. We have the fax confirmations but with that paper we have to collect the tickets. We arrive in Rome only Tuesday night 11pm, so we are forced to pick them on Wednesday, so the actual question was if we have to hurry and arrive in the morning, or we could go in the afternoon. Thank you all, I hope we are not going to wait too much in the line at the Bronze Door. Wish me luck. Bye guys, and hope to give you good news after coming back. Anca

Let us know how it goes. When I was in Piazza di San Pietro last month, it was possible to get around behind security in a small way, by going to the newspaper kiosk in the northern part of the square (actually, just outside the colonnades) near the public restrooms. You could go in the direction of the Basilica a little ways down an aisle in the barricades (that separate you from the people already in the secure area), but this aisle stopped before it got to the Basilica...however, I wondered why there was an aisle here at all, and it has crossed my mind that this aisle may lead to the ticket office and that it's open when the ticket office is open. Well, it's worth a try...you know where the ticket office is, right (see the map I pointed to in a previous response)? Go to the newspaper/souvenir kiosk on the north side of the square (the side with the brick arch that you walk under). Then start walking back towards the Basilica in the direction of the ticket office, and see if the barricades are set up to let you go to the ticket office (only). I don't know if this works, but if it does, it would save you having to stand in line... Bill