We will happen to be in Rome on Good Friday. Should we even think of trying to go to services at St Peter's or will it be a zoo? Thanks.

Susan

The only way you can go to the services at St Peter's on Good Friday is with a ticket. The service starts late in the afternoon and lasts a few hours.

I had the pleasure of attending all the services during Holy Week the last healthy year of Pope John Paul's life.

Good Luck.

Or you can attend the outdoor Stations of the Cross that starts around 9.30 pm at the Colosseum. No tickets required to stand (tickets required for the reserved seating), but crowds build up several hours before for best vantage point.

Also, there is a giant screen in St. Peter's Square where you can watch the services from outside.

I spent Easter Week in Rome and it was really an interesting (albiet rainy) experience. Lots of Italian tourists in the city that week.

It's probably too late to get tickets?

Sue

I don't believe tickets are available for this event as the Vatican website indicates that the celebration of the Lord's Passion is taking place in the Papal Chapel at 3 pm. That is the Pope's private chapel adjoining his apartments. I don't know if this is "televised" in St. Peter's Square. If you want to attend Mass on Good Friday at the Vatican, Masses are said in the morning in the Basilica by priests other than the Pope and no tickets are necessary.

Grinisa,

Is this a new policy with Pope Benedict? I know for a fact that during the papacy of Pope John Paul, the Good Friday Service was in the Basilica and tickets were required.
As I mentioned above, all the masses/services for Holy Week in Saint Peter's required tickets the year I was there.

I don't know if Pope Benedict changed the policy, I'm just going off what is stated on the website. But even in Pope John Paul II's time, events taking place in the Papal Chapel were private.

The point I was trying to make had nothing to do with the Pope's private chapel. It's that ALL the main events during Holy Week, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday Evening Mass were celebrated in the Basilica and required tickets.

Easter Mass was celebrated in St. Peter's square and also required a ticket.

I don't doubt that at the time you were at the Vatican during Easter a Good Friday Mass was performed in St. Peter's by the Pope with admission by ticket. Unless your ticket for that Good Friday Mass said "Papal Chapel," there is no conflict. According to the Vatican website, the current Pope is celebrating Mass at 5 pm (my earlier mistake in translating the 24 hour clock) in his private chapel this year. Easter Vigil Mass on Saturday is also in the private chapel. The website is pretty clear on where all the Holy Week celebrations occur. For instance, the sacrament of penance is in the basilica itself, as is the Holy Thursday Chrismal Mass. Both Palm Sunday and Easter Masses are held in the Sqauare. So if the Pope was presiding over a Good Friday Mass in the Basilica or out in the square, the website would have noted that instead of clearly stating "Cappella Papale."

Although it will be too late to help the OP, I can walk over to St. Peter's on Good Friday at 5 and see what's up. My family has tickets to the Easter Sunday Papal Mass but it wouldn't hurt to go by on Friday too.

Grinisa,

Thanks for the update. It sounds like the new Pope has decided to celebrate Holy Week in a more private manner. That is one of the things that made Pope John Paul so warm and loving.

BTW, is the Pope celebrating the Stations of the Cross at the Colosseum?

Yes, the Pope will be at the Colosseum on Friday night conducting the way of the cross. I don't know if he carries the cross like the healthy John Paul II did. Tickets necessary for reserved seating in the Colosseum or get to Via Fori Imperiali early (by 7:30) for a good spot; it's VERY crowded.

Grinisa, Please stop spreading nonsensical misinformation!

The Vatican Web site states:

21 Good Friday
Vatican Basilica, at 17.00
CAPPELLA PAPALE
Celebration of the Lord’s Passion

Do you see "Vatican Basilica"? The Vatican Basilica is ST. PETER'S BASILICA.

The "Cappella Papale" is NOT "the pope's private chapel." It's an area within ST. PETER'S BASILICA.