How to Attend Mass at the Vatican

How to Attend Mass at the Vatican. Vatican City is an exciting historical destination for all travelers to Rome, Catholic or not. While there are many sights to see within Vatican City, from St. Peter's Basilica to the Sistine Chapel, attending mass is an experience you won't want to miss. For the added experience of an audience with the Pope, plan ahead and obtain a ticket for free.

Learn about the events going on at the Vatican before you travel to Vatican City. Even if you're already in Rome, getting into Vatican City and viewing what you want to see can be difficult without planning ahead.

Attend mass Monday through Saturday at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 noon or 5 p.m. Mass is held within one of the chapels inside St. Peter's Basilica.

Select Sunday mass in the Vatican. The times are 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:10 p.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m., or 5:30 p.m. You have more options on Sunday, but the Vatican can be considerably more crowded.

Participate in a papal audience at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday morning if you want to see the Pope. However, the Pope does not preside over every mass, and when he does appear on Wednesdays you have to obtain a ticket in advance for crowd control. Tickets are free and can be procured as late as a day in advance, but the easiest way is to register online on Santa Susanna's website.

Check out the Vatican liturgical calendar for information on celebrations that the Pope will preside over, and contact his office directly for information on how to obtain tickets. The Santa Susanna church provides tickets for Wednesday audiences only, not liturgical celebrations.

Arrive early to any event at the Vatican. Both mass and a papal audience are a better experience if you arrive up to an hour early and avoid long lines and lack of seating.