How To See The Pope In Vatican City

In this electronic age when we experience so many things digitally, being able to see someone, live, close, and in 3D, can be a very enthralling experience. In a time when crowds have migrated online, being part of an actual crowd can create indelible memories. For many people, seeing the Pope in person is one of these enthralling experiences.

Wednesday Audiences

Pope Francis is someone who can be seen on a variety of screens from large to handheld, and when he does appear live around the globe, he often draws audiences of hundreds of thousands - most of whom watch him on giant screens placed around the venues where he appears.

However, if you happen to be in Rome on a Wednesday morning, you can go to Vatican City to see this leader of over one billion people live and quite close in the very manageable venue of St. Peter's Square. On almost every Wednesday of the year when he is not traveling, Pope Francis holds a "general audience" in the square at 10 a.m. local time. (Check the schedule on the Vatican web site.) It's a chance to get physically closer to one of the most famous people on the planet than you would the players at a basketball game or musicians at a stadium concert.

Audience With the Pontiff

There are two ways for Americans to get an audience with the Pope. One is to obtain tickets through the Church of Santa Susanna, the home of the American Catholic Church in Rome. Tickets should be ordered in advance and need to be picked up at the church, which is in Rome but not in Vatican City. Tickets are free, but it's considered good form to make a donation. Once you get to St. Peter's Square, there is a roped-off area with seats. You'll need to present your ticket to one of the Pontifical Swiss Guards, who have been guarding popes for over 500 years and are easily recognizable in their colorful uniforms made up of red, yellow and blue.

But you don't actually have to have a ticket to get within shouting distance of Pope Francis. Just show up at St. Peter's Square on a Wednesday morning, preferably early enough to get a spot near the seated area. If you're feeling lucky (or blessed), you may arrive on one of the days when the Pope takes a spin around the square in the open-air Pope-mobile, which takes him through the crowd outside of the seated area.

There's something thrilling about seeing a crowd come alive at the arrival of someone they've come to see, be it an athlete, singer or religious figure. Whatever your religious inclinations or affiliations, it's a special experience to be able to see someone beloved by faithful followers returning that devotion - and all in a setting that brings to bear over 2,000 years of history.

After the Pope appears and greets the crowd, he speaks to them in Italian. There are also other speakers, also in Italian. Later, you can check the Vatican web site for an English translation of what was said.

Of course, once you are in Vatican City, you will also want to take time to visit the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel. Lines for these are generally very long, so it is often worth the effort to book something in advance that allows you to skip the lines. This can be done through tour companies, or even at the Vatican Museum's web site.

Put down that screen and get the full Papal experience at Vatican City. After all, as the old saying goes, "When in Rome..."

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Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.