What are the four major basilicas of Rome?

By Andrew McGilly, Founder of Bold Pilgrim · Updated 2026-10-04
Research draft · Human editorial review pending

The four major papal basilicas are St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, St. Mary Major, and St. Paul Outside the Walls. St. Peter’s is within Vatican City; St. John Lateran is the cathedral of Rome; the other two are also in Rome. All four are free to enter: St. Peter’s opens at 7:00 a.m. (until 8:00 p.m. from June 1), St. John Lateran and St. Paul Outside the Walls are open daily 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and St. Mary Major does not publish a basilica opening time online.

They are not all within a compact walking area. The Lateran and St. Mary Major are about 1.5 km apart, but St. Paul Outside the Walls lies about 3 km south of the city center, reached by Metro Line B (Basilica San Paolo station), and St. Peter’s is across the river to the northwest. Plan the visits around locations and worship schedules rather than assuming one uninterrupted walking route.

Confessions follow a similar pattern at each: St. Peter’s Mon–Sat 7:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 4:00–7:00 p.m. (Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 4:00–7:00 p.m.); St. John Lateran 7:00 a.m.–noon and 3:30–6:30 p.m.; St. Mary Major 7:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 3:30–6:45 p.m.; St. Paul Outside the Walls 8:30 a.m.–noon and 4:00–6:30 p.m. None of the four publishes which languages its confessors hear.

The Holy Doors of the Jubilee 2025 are closed: St. Mary Major’s closed on December 25, 2025, and St. Peter’s, the last, on January 6, 2026. The Rome and Vatican City destination pages carry each basilica’s full Mass timetable with links to the official pages.

What are the four major basilicas of Rome?

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