Travelers heading to Rome in the next few weeks will be arriving at a very historic and emotional moment. With the passing of Pope Francis, Rome and Vatican City will be packed with mourners and pilgrims from around the world, some of whom likely already planned to travel to Rome for this Jubilee Year. World leaders will be arriving as well. Rome will be beyond crowded and you need to pack your patience. Here are key dates and events to keep in mind if you are traveling to Rome:
- April 23-25: Francis is now lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the public is invited to walk past his open casket to pay respects. Hours are Wednesday 11 a.m. to midnight, Thursday 7 a.m. to midnight and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- April 26: The funeral for Pope Francis will take place at 10 a.m. at St. Peter’s Basilica before the Pope is buried, by his special request, at Santa Maria Maggiore.
- May 6: This is the earliest date that the conclave to elect a new Pope is expected to take place, following the tradition of the conclave being head no earlier than 15 days after the death of the Pope. This may change though! Once the conclave has begun, with cardinals meeting in the Sistine Chapel, the public can wait in St. Peter’s Square for white smoke to signal that the new Pope has be selected. He will also then appear on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square. The selection process can take days but has never taken more than five days.
Interestingly, about 300,000 pilgrims were either already in Rome or set to arrive shortly for the now-postponed April 27 canonization of Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who was beatified in 2020. A new date for his canonization has not been announced.
If you already have plans to visit Rome during this time, my travel advice is simple: reconfirm everything, reserve ahead and pack your patience. Demand for hotel rooms is at an all-time high and many were filled already because of the Jubilee. Be sure you have even made your dinner reservations ahead of time. Also, think about where in the city you are planning most of your activities–anything near the Vatican will be severely impacted. “Now, with the added spiritual and historical significance of the Pope’s passing, interest is expected to rise further,” I told TravelPulse. This is an incredible chance to be part of history!
The Pope’s death is followed by nine official days of mourning. During the lying in state and funeral, tours will not be able to enter St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican Museums will be closed on the day of the funeral and the Sistine Chapel will be closed once the conclave begins. Some surrounding shops and restaurants may close as well. If you have a Vatican tour booked, the best step is to contact your tour provider directly. Many will offer the chance to reschedule or provide alternative options such as a refund. Rome’s other major sites should not be affected.
Check back to this past for additional information and I will personally be in Rome next week and report in with anything I learn.
– Kathy McCabe
Photo: Jeffrey Bruno via Wikipedia