Dress Code at the Vatican
 

I am planning a trip to the Vatican in March and I want to know what the dress code is. I want to wear a skirt, but is it alright if "some" of my knee is showing? If I wear tights, does that make a difference? What about for children? mine are 2 and 6, can they show a little knee? I know that I am not to show shoulders, etc, but the skirt length is a question for me.

Why would you even want to risk getting turned away? I really don't understand people trying to "get by". The sensible thing to do is follow the dress code and wear something below your knees.

A skirt "at" your knee is fine. The Vatican won't care about the children's knees. Respectful attire is the basic rule, and you sound like you already know what that is.

Hi - I am also going to the Vatican this March and came across this blog. Can we wear jeans? Sorry haven't done much research. Glad I found this question. Thanks in advance!

Hmmm. I didn't read the OP's post as attempting to "get by." Unless, of course, "some knee" also means "some thigh."

This is a much bigger problem in the summer when the temps are high and people show up looking like they're set for a day at Disneyland. Weather predictions for the next 10 days in Rome call for some rain and temps at or below 60F. The OP may want/need to wear tights with the skirt anyway. Or pants.

jgliu, think about it. The Vatican is the holiest place of the Catholic faith. Whether you're Catholic or not, you must respect what it means to Catholics. Jeans would definitely be an attempt to "get by" the rules and, depending on their condition, may make you look like you're going to a construction site and not a sacred place.

As your mother would say, wear something nice.

We were there last October and it was so crowded that I don't think anyone would see what you were wearing.

At the entrance, I did see young people turned away because they were wearing sleeveless blouse/shirts.

For the record:

The Vatican is NOT "holiest place of the Catholic faith": it's just a set of buildings housing the Church's administration and art collection. Nor is St Peter's Basilica, which is no holier than the little shrine at the end of your street. Nowhere, in Catholic theology, is holier than every single tabernacle in every single church, except possibly the sites of Christ's life.

Italian churches' absurd and unChristian obsession withn dress codes has nothing to do with Catholicism - or the status of Rome's churches - and a great deal to do with Italians' ludicrous fixation on avoiding brutte figure. But - and only in Italy, and actually only in heavily-touristed churches - church authorities do have this silly phobia about arms and legs, and if you (ie an adult) show them you might
be refuised admission

Jeans, however, are not just absolutely fine: they're what huge numbers of pilgrims in all Rome's great basilcas wear routinely both to visit and to take part in services. Choirs at Sunday Mass throughout Italy routinely wear jeans. As posters would see in a jiffy is they actually looked at how Italians and foreign pilgrims actually dress to go to Mass.

Why people want to believe silly Miss Manners-style rules about jeans actually exist is incomprehensible - but ultimately none of my business. What DOES matter though is that such absurd fantasies might deter people from going to church. And that really IS profoundly incompatible with Catholicism.

No true believer dresses up to pray to God. And, in my experience of American Catholic churches, that's as true in the US as in Europe.

Jeans are fine. There is no code about the quality of the clothing you are wearing. Any codes are about modesty and respect. From upper arms/shoulders all the way down to the knees should be covered. I can't imagine anyone would want to wear shorts or a tank top in Rome in March--it is not the tropics. Even if it is warmer, err on the side of respectful modesty by wearing pants. It's just one day, yes?

Pants are so much easier for traveling than skirts with tights.

suze wrote: "Pants are so much easier for traveling than skirts with tights."

And I, for one, look better in them.

I have been to St. Peter's in Rome. Here is what I witness going through the line to pass muster with the Vatican Fashion Police:

For women and men, no BARE shoulders. So, no sundresses or tank tops.

KNEES MUST BE COVERED.

NO SHORTS ON MEN, not even long Bermuda shorts. I watched a teenage boy get turned away who was wearing those long board shorts and only his ankles were showing. He was with a school group with NUNS as chaperones and they still turned him away. One nun had to go with him to buy a pair of socks to cover his bare ankles.

Jeans are fine.

Bring a pashmina shawl with you just in case you are worried. You can jurry rig yourself a burka if too much skin is showing. :)

Thin

Flanneruk, thanks for the clarification of what's considered more or less holy/sacred, but I think some Catholics would disagree about St. Peters, especially as Peter's grave/crypt is beneath the altar.

What's allowed on any given day depends on who's manning the doors. I've always been less concerned with what "everybody" does and more with what I think is proper. I don't think jeans are appropriate, but obviously others disagree.

Jeans may not be appropriate, but they will get you up those steps.

Thin

Jean wrote: "I don't think jeans are appropriate, but obviously others disagree."

Is there an irony in the name of the person who makes this comment?

Whether or not St. Peter's remains are in the crypt is a question open to debate.

Nobody minds if people wear jeans -- well, nobody whose opinion matters about your being allowed in.

The Catholic Church believes Peter's remains are under the altar.

No Catholics on this thread, I guess.

Gay Quaker here with a Jewish "husband." :)

But, I did visit the Vatican with my friend who is an ex-Catholic priest, also gay. My friend lives in Rome and is a famous tour guide.

Thin

PS I would think the Catholic Church would think that Jerusalem is the holiest place on earth. Isn't it called "The Holy Land"?

Thin

Jean wrote: "The Catholic Church believes Peter's remains are under the altar."

One Pope (Paul VI) made a declaration that the bones had been found. The evidence was thin to non-existent. Indeed, there is no evidence that Peter ever made it to Rome.

It's not an Article of Faith (an official church doctrine).

Jean wrote:
No Catholics on this thread, I guess.


Wrong, baptized Catholic, altar boy for 10 years, communion, confirmation - the whole nine yards. And all of that in jeans, OMG. Real Catholics don't care what Catholics wear, and even less what the heathen dons ;-)

As flanner tried to explain for the 100th time: This discussion is about local customs in Italy and not about the Catholic faith.

Thank you all for your input. Didn't mean to create a long discussion over jeans but it was interesting to read! I myself is a Catholic and wear jeans to church, thus I was wondering if that is the norm in Rome.. :) Grazie!

Be respectful. Don't be vulgar. Not hard rules to follow...

mnapoli wrote: "Don't be vulgar."

That rule can be hard to follow if you don't know what the norms are in a particular place.

When I say that it shows some knee, I mean that the top of my knees are covered but you can see some of the bottom of my knees, it's NOT calf length.

I agree that it's best to not just try to "get by" but I don't want to pack too much and I would not be comfortable during the rest of my trip in a longer skirt.

I also don't want to wear jeans as, whether or not they are considered "acceptable", it would make me feel uncomfortable.

re: <<KNEES MUST BE COVERED.>>

So, do opaque tights count as knee covering in Rome and the Vatican? (Never had a problem in Venice or Florence).

Hi Fifi,

I think the shape or outline of the knees need to be covered, requiring either a below the knee skirt or a pair of slacks.

Wearing jean to church in Italy in not the norm since in Italy adults (or at least over 30's) usually don;t wear jeans as everyday wear - although they do, of course, wear them on occasion, Mature people in europe usually dress less casually than many people in the US.

However, no on really cares if you wear jeans. At St Peter's (and unofficially at many other churches in Italy) the issue is local standards of modesty - which includes covering legs down to the knees, upper arms and bosom. And this standard applies to everyone of adult size - say 12 or over. Rules are looser for little kids. (Most churches do not have anyone at the door enforcing these rules, but if dressed immodestly you may be subject to comments from locals - esp older women - who see skin-baring clothing in church as a sign of disrespect to their religion.

I am never caught at the Vatican without my red or white mitre.

Funny that the Vatican Museum has statues dressed like this: http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Olympi...irlVatican.jpg

Wait until you see all the leaves they put on the male statues. It's horrible.

One of my favourite pieces was the Belvedere Torso. I spent a long time circling it, trying to see if it got the leaf treatment, but I couldn't get a good look at the proper angle. I would have had to walk right up and stare down, and it was really crowded and I was worried people would think I was some kind of pervert.