Lost Luggage and the Art of Traveling Light

This is Part 2 of my experience at the 2025 Jubilee events at St. Peter’s Basilica where I cover going to mass with Pope Francis. If you want to know about the pilgrimage, check out Part 1!

Tips for First-Time Participants

Sunday morning, I woke up super early and headed to the Vatican for mass. Doors opened at 8:30 and I got there about 6:30 because I wanted to make sure I got a good seat! There weren’t too many people in line when I got to the entrance corrals on Via di Porta Angelica (#6; https://maps.app.goo.gl/3SYzVGZQxP1ZbUXA7) and I think we started moving about 8 o’clock towards the entrance.

Again, we had to go through security. I had to leave my metal water bottle on the ground outside of the checkpoint because it was not allowed in. It was empty, but the guy said it was metal and had to be left behind. However, there were plenty of plastic water bottles that were also left behind, so I think water bottles aren’t allowed. There wasn’t anything on the website about what not to bring, I looked ahead of time. All was well, though, as my bottle was waiting for me exactly where I left it at the end of the day.

When I got into St. Peter’s I noticed people were rushing to get a seat on the aisle, so I followed suit. I got as close to the front and to the aisle as I could and ended up about seven rows back and three seats from the aisle. On everyone’s seat were two booklets: the liturgical booklet so everyone could follow along with the mass and a copy of the Gospel of Luke.

I downloaded an app ahead of time that was supposed to have an English translation of the event, but it didn’t work. It was fine, though, the liturgical booklet was perfect and translated a bit of the mass into English.

Mass was mostly a typical mass, just a bit longer. I could not see Pope Francis from where I was sitting. Looking at the floorplan, he was seated near #64 and I was about where the “R” is next to #73. If you sit on the left side of the basilica, there might be a better sightline.

Communion was a bit chaotic. Priests bring the host to aisle and people can receive it from about where they are sitting. People were moving chairs and shoving a bit to take communion, it was a bit chaotic. I recommend grabbing your belongings, or at least putting them on your chair during this. If you wish to receive the full eucharist, it looked like there was a line in the walkway to the right of the seating area.

No one left after mass was over, so I stayed put, too. Or maybe we weren’t allowed to leave yet. Pope Francis was wheeled down the aisle and we got to see him. I got a pretty good photo of him!

Once he was clear, we shuffled out of the basilica and went on with our day.

Of course you do not need to partake in a Jubilee event to attend mass. You can request tickets  from the Prefecture of the Papal Household here: https://eventi.pontificalisdomus.va/.

My Reflections

The theme this year of “Pilgrims of Hope” and the theme for Jubilee event I attended was “Communicators of Hope.” In the pamphlet we received before the pilgrimage, Pope Francis encourages us to communicate hope to others during these polarizing times of global chaos. That message resonated with me, and it is my hope that you can find some hope and joy in these wild times.