St Peter's Basilica

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Hello, I’m in Rome right now and the closest church to our apartment is St Peter’s Basilica. We want to attend morning Mass for the next week but this morning, we weren’t sure exactly how to attend. There were many priests walking through the Basilica in chasubles and carrying veiled chalices but we weren’t sure if the masses that they were saying in the side chapels were private or not. Can we attend any random Mass here or does it have to be in one of the bigger side chapels? Thanks.
 
I didn’t realize…people are allowed to attend mass at St. Peter’s Basilica? I thought it was only for the Pope and higher-ups.
 
I think Mass at the main altar is only celebrated at the high altar but there are priests from everywhere celebrating Mass at the many side altars around the Basilica throughout the whole day…
 
In principle, all Masses are “public.” I’m not a priest but if I was, I wouldn’t expect to celebrate a Mass at St. Peter’s and have nobody show up…

That being said, somebody there at the basilica should be able to give you some sort of schedule.

Dan
 
There are many side chapels in the Basilica, often in use by pilgrimage groups. There probably are Masses throughout the day.

ICXC NIKA
 
Good to know. I will be in Rome this fall and will want to attend daily Mass. St Peter’s Basilica isn’t too far from my hotel either.
 
It’s been a few years, but when I was there, one of the side chapels had a sign posted listing the public daily Mass schedule, very much like you see at almost every large European cathedral.
 
Between 7 and 8:30, priests who are living/working in Rome may offer their daily Mass in the basilica.

You are free to join in any of them.

You have two choices, essentially. You can pick an altar (such as the tomb of Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Saint John XXIII, Pope Saint Pius X, Pope Saint Gregory the Great, Pope Saint Leo the Great, etc.) and then attend the Mass of whoever arrives there to celebrate (and in whatever language they celebrate and Mass text they use) or you may go to the door that leads to the sacristy…it is off to the left if you are facing the Bernini baldachino…and wait for priests to exit As the priests come through the door to go to an altar to offer Mass, we will often say which language we will be celebrating in. Or you can ask…for example “English?” You then pick the priest and just follow him to wherever he will celebrate.

Masses during this time period of the morning are celebrated in the basilica as well as in the crypt underneath. Both are very special, for different reasons. It is, really, the best time to experience the basilica, apart from after closing hours; it is all but completely devoid of tourists.

Throughout the day, public Masses are offered at various published times at the altar of Saint Joseph or at the altar of the Chair. I recommend you attend the early Masses, personally.
 
Emperor_Markus said:
I didn’t realize…people are allowed to attend mass at St. Peter’s Basilica? I thought it was only for the Pope and higher-ups.
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You can enter and attend a Mass, tour, make a visit, light a candle. Or you can join in the large gatherings in St. Peter’s Square where the very large Masses are held e.g. at Easter. Catholics are given priority but there is plenty of room for you behind those that have requested seats. And you may come to the Square when the Pope gives his blessing from the balcony. I think that is usually on Sundays. :blessyou:
 
Don_Ruggero said:
Between 7 and 8:30, priests who are living/working in Rome may offer their daily Mass in the basilica.

You are free to join in any of them.

You have two choices, essentially. You can pick an altar (such as the tomb of Pope Saint John Paul II, Pope Saint John XXIII, Pope Saint Pius X, Pope Saint Gregory the Great, Pope Saint Leo the Great, etc.) and then attend the Mass of whoever arrives there to celebrate (and in whatever language they celebrate and Mass text they use) or you may go to the door that leads to the sacristy…it is off to the left if you are facing the Bernini baldachino…and wait for priests to exit As the priests come through the door to go to an altar to offer Mass, we will often say which language we will be celebrating in. Or you can ask…for example “English?” You then pick the priest and just follow him to wherever he will celebrate.

Masses during this time period of the morning are celebrated in the basilica as well as in the crypt underneath. Both are very special, for different reasons. It is, really, the best time to experience the basilica, apart from after closing hours; it is all but completely devoid of tourists.

Throughout the day, public Masses are offered at various published times at the altar of Saint Joseph or at the altar of the Chair. I recommend you attend the early Masses, personally.
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Thank you Father for this information. Even though I’m not the OP it is so useful to me. I will be making my first trip to Rome, actually 3 weeks of Italy, Paris, & London, but I do have a full week just in Rome. I’m so excited to see, well, everything, but mostly Vatican City and Notre Dame in Paris.
 
Now I admit I feel a bit silly having said, “I thought it was only for the Pope and higher-ups”, but I assumed they did Mass in the Sistine Chapel and there wasn’t enough room for the thousands of pilgrims and tourists.

I didn’t realize they also held Masses at the many tombs. Pope Saint Pius X? I think that would be a very interesting experience - to go to mass at his tomb. He is one of my favorites, after all.
 
Emperor_Markus said:
Now I admit I feel a bit silly having said, “I thought it was only for the Pope and higher-ups”, but I assumed they did Mass in the Sistine Chapel and there wasn’t enough room for the thousands of pilgrims and tourists.

I didn’t realize they also held Masses at the many tombs. Pope Saint Pius X? I think that would be a very interesting experience - to go to mass at his tomb. He is one of my favorites, after all.
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St. Peter’s Bascilica is the structure with the dome. St. Peter’s Square is the open area in front of it. The Sistine Chapel is in another area. You are free to visit it too. Before the 1500s, it was a stable. The Pope at that time asked Michaleangelo to repaint it. And you know the rest.

Yes, there is also the tomb of John-Paul II and many others. All Catholic altars contain relics of saints usually the saint for whom that particular church is named.

It has been assumed that Peter was buried at the Vatican. It was not until after WWII that his tomb and remains were found. That is a wonderful story in itself. So when Christ said, “Upon this rock, I build my Church.” He meant it.
 
It is a lovely experience to go to Mass at St Peter’s however I personally found it enriching to attend Mass at different churches throughout Rome - some of the smaller churches in particular were lovely, quiet, and contain shrines that you’d miss otherwise (and offer an escape from the streams of tourists wandering around the larger churches).

Have a blessed time & enjoy! 🙂
 
AngelusDomini said:
It is a lovely experience to go to Mass at St Peter’s however I personally found it enriching to attend Mass at different churches throughout Rome - some of the smaller churches in particular were lovely, quiet, and contain shrines that you’d miss otherwise (and offer an escape from the streams of tourists wandering around the larger churches).

Have a blessed time & enjoy! 🙂
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A favourite of mine is San Benedetto in Piscinula in Trastevere.

romanchurches.wikia.com/wiki/San_Benedetto_in_Piscinula

A year and a half ago on a warm November evening, I ended up at Mass there with a fellow delegate to a meeting I was attending at Sant’ Anselmo. After Mass, we slipped over to a nearby pizzeria for an excellent pizza and bottle of wine on the outdoor terrace. While we were eating, the priest who celebrated Mass came to the pizzeria and left with a stack of pizza boxes. I could guess what they were eating for supper!

The church is the care of a relatively new community, the Heralds of the Gospel.

Heralds of the Gospel

Check out their unique habits and footgear!

Legend has it that this is where Saint Benedict lived when he was studying in Rome as a young man.

I was also there last year and that time our entire group went there, and we celebrated Vespers there. The same priest as the previous year gave us a brief talk about the place. He was very kind, and spoke passable French so we were able to communicate.
 
When I was in Rome (2006), we just asked at the information desk when and where Masses were being held. The person was able to tell us the time and altar locations, but not the language. We picked the next one coming up at a side altar and it ended up being in French with 80% of the congregants being French school children. It was a nice reminder of the universality of our Church 🙂
 
Emperor_Markus said:
Now I admit I feel a bit silly having said, “I thought it was only for the Pope and higher-ups”, but I assumed they did Mass in the Sistine Chapel and there wasn’t enough room for the thousands of pilgrims and tourists.

I didn’t realize they also held Masses at the many tombs. Pope Saint Pius X? I think that would be a very interesting experience - to go to mass at his tomb. He is one of my favorites, after all.
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There are altars that permit you to see the body

Here is a photo of the altar of Pope Saint Pius X
agustinosrecoletos.com/files/images//FICHERO9638.jpg?KeepThis=true&TB_iframe=true

Here is a photo of the altar of Pope Saint John XXIII
stpetersbasilica.info/Altars/StJerome/Body-JohnXXIII-StJeromeAlt.jpg

There are altars where the body is not visible

Here is a photo of the altar of Pope Saint John Paul II
catholicherald.co.uk/content/uploads/2013/07/20130402cnsbr15100.jpg

Here is a photo of the altar of Pope Saint Gregory the Great
stpetersbasilica.info/Altars/GregoryGreat/GregorytheGreat-Altarfront.jpg

If you are devoted to Saint Pius X, his tomb is on the upper level, to the left as you enter the main door and in the alcove passed the baptistery, that is to say, not far from the back of the nave. His body is within the altar but visible behind glass. It is the altar of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin in the Temple. If, as you face the altar, you look to the left you will see the monument and sarcophagus of his successor, Pope Benedict XV.
 
I loved visiting Saint Pauls outside the Wall,
So many magnificent sites to visit
 
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