Can I renew wedding vows at St. Peter's?
 

My husband and I will be celebrating our 35th wedding anniversary in Italy this May. Is it possible to have our wedding vows renewed at St. Peter's or our marriaged blessed by the Pope or another priest at St. Peter's?

I'm sure you can find a priest around there.

As my SO said when we were there, "You couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a cardinal."

I don't think a St. Peter's priest would do a random blessing for a couple that does not have documentation, etc. It would likely be best to start by asking at your own parish.

I recall there is a blessing for newlyweds at the weekly papal audience, who all sit in a special area, and these newlyweds have to go through a specific, preapproval procedure to "qualify".

The "renewal of vows" is hardly known in Europe, this seems to be an American thing. The vows are meant to be forever, aren't they? So why should a couple need to renew them?

Having some kind of blessing, however, is quite common at wedding anniversaries. Contact your parish at home first. You'll need some proof of a) your marriage and b) your membership in the Roman Catholic Church. Your parson will know, or know how to find out, how and where to prearrange the blessing ceremony in Rome. I do not think this can be done at random.

If you were married in a Catholic church, a priest will not "renew your vows" as the sacrament and vows last until you die. A priest will perform a blessing to commemorate a special anniversary, but it's not like there is an on call priest at St. Peter's that does this. Most people bring their own priest and reserve a chapel. You can write to the Vatican, or if you prefer, the Bishop's office of the North American College in Rome who are very helpful with these kinds of requests.

Patty,
Congratulations on your 35 year aniversary. What a great place to celebrate it. My wife and I will also be in Roma in May. We will be celerbrating our 30th anniversary May 20th. If you can't find a Priest to bless your marriage at St. Peter's, you could find a quiet spot and say a prayer to together. Have a great time.
Ciao, Louie & Vera.

Take a look at http://www.santasusanna.org/ which is the American Catholic Church in Rome, they have info about weddings and renewing vows. They can't do it at St Peters but do have their own church where this can be done.

Also you can go through your parish to see if the Vatican can arrange anything for you or to join any special group blessings that may be going on during your visit.

Louie and Vera - We are celebrating on May 19th.We will only be in Roma for a few days. We have signed up for Scavi tour on Sat. May 17th. Maybe we will see you there! Thanks everyone for your help! You guys are the best.