The papal general audience is held on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m., in St. Peter’s Square in the warmer months and in the Paul VI Audience Hall in winter, and tickets are always free: lay pilgrims request them through the Prefecture of the Papal Household’s online form (eventi.pontificalisdomus.va), by post to the Prefecture, 00120 Vatican City State, or by fax to +39 06 6988 5863, stating the date, number of tickets, group name, mailing address and phone. Collect them at the ticket office just inside the Paul VI Hall between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. the day before or 7:00 and 10:00 a.m. on the morning of the audience.
The Vatican’s own event listings give 10:00 a.m. as the start (for example, the audience of Wednesday September 30, 2026 in St. Peter’s Square, and that of January 14, 2026 in the Audience Hall). Arrive well before the start: seating is unreserved and security lines are long. U.S. pilgrims may also collect through the Pontifical North American College Visitors Office; parish groups often apply through their bishop’s office.
No audience is held when the Pope is away, including during papal journeys and his summer stay at Castel Gandolfo, so check his calendar. After December 8 the Prefecture cannot consider requests for the Christmas Eve Mass, the December 31 Vespers and Te Deum, or the New Year’s Day Mass, because places in the basilica are limited; those celebrations are shown on screens in the square.
Related questions, answered
How do I collect tickets for a papal audience?
General audience tickets are collected at the ticket office just inside the Paul VI Audience Hall, to the left of the basilica as you face it, between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. on the afternoon before the audience or between 7:00 and 10:00 a.m. on the Wednesday morning itself; tickets for papal liturgies are collected the day before or as notified. Bring the confirmation from the Prefecture of the Papal Household. Pilgrims from the United States who requested through the Pontifical North American College collect at its Visitors Office instead. Tickets are always free; no one may charge for them.
Source: Prefecture of the Papal Household: audience ticketsVatican: tickets for audiences and papal celebrations
How do I request papal audience tickets?
Request general audience tickets free of charge from the Prefecture of the Papal Household, using its online form at eventi.pontificalisdomus.va, or by post (Prefecture of the Papal Household, 00120 Vatican City State) or fax (+39 06 6988 5863), giving the date, number of tickets, your name or group, mailing address and phone. Clergy use the separate portal biglietti.liturgiepontificie.va. Submit the request several weeks ahead, and earlier for Easter, Christmas, and canonizations. Americans may instead apply through the Pontifical North American College's Visitors Office, and parish groups often apply through their bishop's office. The tickets are collected in Rome the day before or the morning of the audience.
Source: Vatican: tickets for audiences and papal celebrationsPrefecture of the Papal Household: audience tickets
Can I attend a papal audience and visit the Vatican Museums on the same day?
Yes, a Wednesday general audience and the Vatican Museums fit in one day if the Museums reservation is for the afternoon. The audience begins at 10:00 a.m. and usually ends by about noon; the Museums entrance on Viale Vaticano is a 15-minute walk around the walls from the square, so a slot from 1:30 p.m. onward leaves time for lunch. The Museums are open Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (final entry 6:00 p.m.) and closed on Sundays except the last Sunday of the month. Note that St. Peter's Basilica stays closed to visitors until the audience crowd clears.
Source: Vatican: General Audience of 30 September 2026Vatican Museums: opening hours
Is St. Peter's Basilica open during a Wednesday papal audience?
No, St. Peter's Basilica is closed to visitors during the Wednesday general audience and reopens once the audience ends and the square is cleared, typically around noon to 1:00 p.m. The basilica names Wednesday as one of its two busiest days for that reason, because the morning crowd then moves to the security line. Pilgrims who want both the audience and the basilica on the same day should expect a long wait after 1:00 p.m., or visit the basilica on another morning at its 7:00 a.m. opening. When the audience is held indoors in the Paul VI Hall in winter, the closure is usually shorter.
Source: St. Peter's Basilica: visitor questions
