One of the more compelling spiritual pilgrimages is attending a mass at Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican City on Christmas and Easter which the Bishop of Rome, Pope Benedict XVI, presides.  To many  Catholics to witness such an event is a dream come true.  The Christmas Eve Midnight Mass at Saint Peter's Basilica will be held on December 24 and will start at 22:00 (10:00 PM) to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord. Tickets are available only from the Swiss Guards for this Liturgical Celebration.  New Year's Eve Mass starts at 18:00 (6:00 pm) on December 31 to welcome the New Year.

On December 25, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI delivers a message during Mass at the Vatican that urges the end of child exploitation.

Information on how to reserve tickets:     Write to: Prefecture of the Papal Household, 00120 Vatican City State [Fax: +39 06 6988 5863].  Indicate the date of the General Audience or Liturgical celebration, the number of tickets required, Name/Group, mailing address, telephone and Fax numbers. 

Important Notice: TICKETS ARE ENTIRELY FREE and can be picked up at the ticket office located just inside the Bronze Door (by the right colonnade of St. Peter’s Square) at the following times:

• For GENERAL AUDIENCES: from 15:00 [3:00 PM] to 19:30 [7:30 PM] on the preceding day or on the morning of the audience from 8:00 [8:00 AM] to 10:30 [10:30 AM]. 
• For LITURGICAL CEREMONIES: on the preceding day or according to prior notification.

If you wish to attend the Vatican Papal Audience, tickets are required.  The Weekly Wednesday Audience usually starts between 10:00 [10:00 AM] - 10:30 [10:30 AM] depending on the time of year.  If you would like to get a good seat, arrive between 8:30 [8:30 AM] - 9:00 [9:00 AM]. The audience lasts for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, at which time the Pope will give speeches in various languages including English. At the end of the Papal Audience, he will impart the Apostolic Blessing and blesses any religious articles you may have brought with you.

The other opportunity to see the Pope is on a Sunday at 12:00 [12:00 PM noon] when he is in Rome. He will appear from the window of his apartment where he gives a short speech followed by the Angelus and a blessing. He may also greet the crowds in various languages and the whole event usually lasts 15 - 20 minutes. He will impart the Apostolic Blessing at the end of the prayer. You do not need a ticket for the Sunday Angelus.
 

 

St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City has the largest interior in any Christian church in the world, able to hold 60,000 people.

 

A GLIMPSE OF THE VATICAN CITY

The State of the Vatican (more commonly known as the Vatican City) is a landlocked sovereign city-state, that came into existence in 1929 and is located within the city of Rome, the capital city of Italy. At approximately 44 hectares (110 acres) and with a population of over 800, it is the smallest country in the world by both population and area.  Vatican City is an ecclesiastical or sacerdotal-monarchical state, ruled by the Bishop of Rome—the Pope. It is the sovereign territory of the Holy See (Sancta Sedes) and the location of the Pope's residence, referred to as the Apostolic Palace. The current Pope is Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Bavaria, Germany.

The Sistine Chapel, the most famous chapel in the world for its Renaissance art and history, highlights the work of Michelangelo.

Vatican City contains a number of items of historic interest. Buildings such as St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are home to some of the most famous High Renaissance art in the world, which includes works by Italian artists such as Botticelli, Bernini, Raphael and Michelangelo. The Vatican Library and the collections of the Vatican Museum are of the highest historical, scientific and cultural importance. In 1984, the Vatican was added by UNESCO to the List of World Heritage Sites; it is the only one to consist of an entire state. Furthermore, it is the only site to date registered with the UNESCO as a centre containing monuments in the "International Register of Cultural Property under Special Protection" according to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. 

Vatican Museum is the most visited museum in the world.

By Gina Alzate, who is also the National Intercultural Relationship Examiner and the Philadelphia Romance Examiner. She is a Travel Consultant and a Cruise Planner with World Tours and Cruises, and she leads Angel Communication workshops with Holistic Life Designs.

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