Meagan

I'll be in Rome at the end of July and would really like to attend a Papal Audience. I know they are only held on Wednesdays but I don't really know anything else about them. I have confirmation that I am attending the Scavi tour on the Wednesday at 1:45. Does anyone know what time/how long the Papal Audience is? Am I going to miss it because of the tour? What exactly IS the Papal Audience?? Thanks so much!!

sister mary

Many people are confused by the "papal audience". Simply put his holiness does a few minutes of stand-up (mostly religious stuff) then he will do a couple of numbers on the accordian. Sometimes, if he's feeling peppy, he'll do requests.

nina

Meagan, <BR>I attended the Papal Audience in April -It was an incredible experience. He basically does some talking - like a homily or something - what takes so long is he does it in about 8 languages. Then he welcomes tour groups from different areas (this also takes a while) and then does a prayer/blessing in 8 languages. <BR> <BR>It started around 10:00am - but get there early to get good seats - it's so worth it. He was finished around 12:30-1:00. <BR> <BR>When he first comes out he drives in the "Pope Mobile" and circles the audience twice... it's really neat - so keep your camera out!

Ed

Audiences Wednesday morning at 9 or 10. In St. Peter's Square weather permitting, otherwise in the nearby Audience Hall. You should have time to grab at least a sandwich (panino) before the Scavi Tour. <BR> <BR>Tickets required for the audience. Obtain from your diocese, <BR>or <BR>http://www.santasusanna.org/html/Tickets/tickets.html <BR>or, if you live in North America, <BR>Bishops' Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican <BR>Attn: Rev. Msgr. Roger C. Roensch <BR>via dell'Umilita, 30 <BR>00187 Roma <BR>Italy <BR>Ph: 011-39-06-690-011 Fx: 011-39-06-679-1448 <BR>e-mail: [email protected] <BR> <BR>twenj <BR>

meagan

Thanks Nina and Sister Mary, I appreciated (enjoyed) both your responses! I have another question: I went to Ed&Juile's website and they suggested contacting your country's Bishop's Office. Anyone know the contact info for the Canadian Office? <BR>Thanks again and bless you sister mary - I hope to see you doing a jig when the Pope pulls out the accordion!

meagan

Ed - looks like we were posting at the same time and you beat me to it! Thanks for the info!! <BR>Meagan

elvira

This reminded me of a very cute story about French-Canadian grandmother (our grasp of English can be very entertaining): <BR>"I'm going to Rome to have an audition with the Pope". <BR> <BR>Based on Sister Mary's reply, I'm not so sure she was mistaken....

dave

Have to share this. Rosemary Clooney has a story about her semi-private audience with the pope. At the end of the session, the small group lined up to get a brief moment with the pope. As the person in front of Clooney was leaving, the pope sneezed, and Clooney instinctively said, "Bless you." The pope smiled and said that he was the one who was supposed to say that.

Meagan

Me again! I read somewhere that there are no Audiences during the month of July! Can anyone confirm this??

brother paul

As a practicing catholic I am deeply offended by your portayal of the Holy Father as some sort of comedian or entertainer. This sort of thing must cease at once.Everyone knows his holiness does not play the accordian, he is, however a hoot at our yearly retreats. His " two nuns in a pet shop" routine is a real knee-slapper.

Danielle

Meagan - I had written to the parish secretary listed on the www.santasuzanna.org site about the newlywed papal audience and she wrote back saying that the Pope will preside the general audience on July 4th and 25th but not the other 2 Wednesdays. So apparently there are audiences in July but only on those 2 weeks.

Pam

Danielle - whom did you write at Santa Susanna to find out which dates the Pope will be in town for the newlywed audience? My fiance and I will be on our honeymoon in September and would like to get tickets for the newlywed audience. By that Wed we will be in FLorence, and would take the train back to Rome if we knew for sure that the Pope will be in town. I did email Rosanna, and she gave me the ticket information but she did not write back to say whether he'll be in town or not. <BR> <BR>Thanks!

Danielle

Pam, I wrote to rosanna ([email protected]) asking about tickets for August. She wrote back with the details of the audiencce (having to wear wedding attire & when it takes place) and said he would only be in Rome those 2 days in July and to let her know if wer would be there then. So I think she thought we would be there in July. I'm not sure how far in advance she knows his schedule but it wouldn't hurt to write again & ask if she knows when he will be there in September. I think we are going to just attend the general audience because we won't have our wedding attire with us in Italy. We're just going to go on the Wednesday we are in Rome and hope that he is there then. Good luck!

Ruth

We went to the general Wednesday papal audience in late September 3 years ago. Our parish priest here in the US wrote the office to get the tickets for us. They were supposed to be delivered to our hotel, but weren't. So that morning we went to the Vatican, to the door where one of our tour books said you could go to get tickets and I talked my way past a couple Swiss Guards. I was sent upstairs where I was directed (by sign language, given my almost non-existent Italian) to an American priest. He didn't have our hotel on his list to send tickets to, but gave me the necessary number and said to get right down there as the Pope was headed out soon. The advantage of getting tickets is that you get a seat--it was really hot that day and a seat was appreciated. But if you don't have tickets, you can still go and stand at the back of the seating area. Because of the heat, it started an hour earlier than normal, so be sure to check the day before as to the time. I would liken it to an international, religious pep rally. A priest would speak in one language, introduce groups that had traveled from that country and then the Pope would give a short address in that language. Sometimes, groups when they were introduced stood and sang. It was pretty interesting.

Cathy

Danielle, <BR>Re the wedding couples and the instruction to wear your wedding clothes (or good clothes) the reason is that wedding couples sit in a special area and at the end of the audience they are brought up to the Pope to receive his special blessings. <BR> <BR>Unlike being in the general audience a wedding couple get to meet the Pope up close. So I would advise that you bring something special to wear (not your full wedding dress etc) and take the advantage of meeting the Pope up close. <BR> <BR>Cathy