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  • 14:49 23 Nov 2009
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  • 15:49 23 Nov 2009

Religious questions

How do I reserve tickets to the Pope's General Audience and other liturgical celebrations?

Tickets are free and are available from the Prefecture of the Papal Household:

Prefecture of the Papal Household
00120 Vatican City State
Fax (+39) 06 6988 5863

A written request with number of tickets required, names of those wishing to attend, and the date of the Audience or Liturgical Celebration should be submitted to the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household with as much notice as possible.

Tickets can be collected on the afternoon before the Audience or the Liturgical celebration (from 15.00 to 19.30) or on the morning of the Audience (from 8:00 to 10:30) from the ticket office at the Bronze Door (end of the right-hand colonnade in St. Peter's Square).  On the day, early arrival is essential as tickets are not numbered.

Location of the general audience varies; they are held in St. Peter’s square, the Paul VI Hall (Aula Nervi), or in St Peter’s Basilica. During the summer, audiences may also be held at Castel Gandolfo, the pope’s summer residence (40 min outside Rome by car).

Should you be unable to get tickets for an audience, you can always attend the Sunday Angelus, held at noon in St. Peter’s Square and presided over by the Pope. While the Pope is at his summer residence, Castel Gandolfo, he says the Angelus from his study window; space is very limited in the courtyard.

Please note that private audiences with the Pope are reserved for heads of state and other high-ranking officials.

You can also follow the weekly General Audience live on Wednesdays at 10:15 am CET on internet, produced by the Vatican Television Center, and hear the most recent Angelus on the website of Vatican Radio.

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