Has anyone gone to mass at St.Peters Basilica? Do they serve mass on Sat. I would really like to attend but can find no information on times.<BR>Thanks for any help you can give me.<BR>Diane

Hi Dianne, for info on when the Pope has his audiences check out<BR><BR>http://www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/popeVatican.html<BR><BR>Karen<BR<BR>

I don't know about Saturday Masses, but we were got there about 10:15 on a Sunday and asked when Mass was being said, and they told us there was one at 11:30. I can't say if there is an 11:30 Mass every Sunday, but my guess would be that there is. It was held at the altar behind the main altar. Mass was not said by the Pope, but it was quite elaborate, with several priests and two choirs; it lasted until almost 1:00. Many people (including us) had to stand -- I guess we should have gone to the Mass area sooner than we did, instead of walking around looking at everything until it was almost time for Mass to start. I know the Vatican has a website; maybe the Mass schedule is listed there. Do a Yahoo or Google search for Vatican City.

Mass is held several times daily.We went to a mass in Italian can't remember what day.<BR>Mass should also be available in english.Mass is done by the pope infrequently at this point due to his health. RR

Mass is severaltimes a day. There are schedules posted in St. Peter's that have the times and languages that Mass will be said in.<BR><BR>My husband and I went to one about 4pm on Sunday and it was in Italian, in a side chapel, mind you a side chapel that must have accomodated 300 people.<BR><BR>Sunday at Noon the pope appears at his resindence window and blesses all the poeple in the square and Wednesdays he does his larger Papal Audience which you can get info from the website posted above.<BR><BR>FYI- the Vatican gift shop at St. Peter's is NOT open on Sundays regardless of any information that you might find posted or be told.

These times were posted in St Peter's last Sunday<BR>Sundays and Feastdays Mass 9, 10.30(Sung, mainly in latin)12.15, 1, 4 5.30. Vespers, sung in latin with Italian sermon 5pm<BR>Weekdays 8.30, 10, 11,12,5.<BR>The 10.30 Sunday is very popular, so get there by 10am to get a good seat, and ends about 11.45, in time to wander out to the square for the Holy Father's Angelus at noon.<BR>The Dome of St Peter's (?5 with lift half way) opens at 8am every morning. Sunday trading is a big no-no in the Vatican, so the bookshop, post office, and giftshop on the roof of St Peter's are closed.

Romanita and others, Do you know about masses on weekdays? We will not be in Rome on the weekend. Thx,

Just logged on the Santa Susanna website<BR><BR>http://www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/basilicas.html<BR><BR>If you click through the St.Peter's/Vatican choices, you can find mass schedules for Sunday, Thursday, and other weekdays. Also, schedule of penance and hours the two are open.

I found this web site:
http://www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/basilicas.html

Any information on the distinction of the location: Altar chair, Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament?

Also, the 9:00 am says it is for the Parish of St. Peters. Think tourists/visitors would be excluded or could we get in?

Altar of the Chair - at the far end of St Peter's from the main doors, with an apse and past the Baldichino (sp).
Blessed Sacrament Chapel - right hand side of Nave, there are usually a couple of Vaticanisti hanging around by the entrance stopping tourists wandering in through the gap in the rope barrier, but going in for Mass or to pray is fine.

Anyone have experience with the 9:00 service, which says Parish of St. Peters on this website:
http://www.santasusanna.org/popeVatican/basilicas.html

That's the time I'd like to get to mass, but don't want to be turned away by the bouncer!

The Mass times posted in the basilica (see my post of 26th Feb)are for Masses which the public may attend. I have never been to the 9am myself, but you will not be bounced from it unless you start walking round the chapel (frequently St Joseph's - virtually the whole of the left transept) like a tourist, which the Vaticanisti will discourage, so as not to disturb those at prayer. There will certainly be room for you to sit.
9am Mass is very likely to be entirely in Italian, without any music.

The posted Mass times in the Basilica and on various websites are for regular Masses celebrated every week. As pilgrimage destination, St Peter's attracts a lot of pilgrim groups and by prior arrangement they are permitted to have their own Mass with their priests in their own language at one of numerous altars there. So you may even find one in English, and I think that pilgrims wouldn't mind in the least if another worshipper (not just sightseer) wanted to join in. This has been my experience also at other pilgrimage centres like Assisi.