The following will give you an idea of what’s going on and when for Easter Week in 2010; most services take place in St Peter’s Square or inside the Basilica (consider a walking tour in Rome to get your bearings, or one of Viator’s Vatican tours if you arrive early enough to avoid the crowds).
You can certainly expect crowds in Rome and the Vatican during Easter Week. But for Catholics and religious-minded travelers (frankly, for anybody and everyone who appreciates ritual and pomp) , the experience of Easter Week is unforgettable.
Palm Sunday (March 28)
Palm Sunday, a sort of prequel, starts off Holy Week with the Pope’s blessing of the palms in St Peter’s Square (9:30am). At the end of the mass, the Pope usually sends a special message – the ‘Angelus’ – to the youth of the world.
Holy Thursday (April 1)
The Pope honors his predecessor, John Paul II, on Holy Monday with a mass at 6pm. Then, after a few days’ break during which you will notice a steadily increasing population density in and around the Vatican, the Easter celebration begins in earnest on Holy Thursday (also called ‘Maundy Thursday’). The Pope performs a rare morning mass at 9:30am, known as the ‘Mass of the Chrism’, in St Peter’s Basilica (’chrism’ is a mixture of olive oil and balsam, which, once blessed, is used in some of the sacraments). In the evening, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper commemorates Christ’s bathing of the feet of the Apostles.
Good Friday (April 2)
On Good Friday, instead of a mass, choirs sing St John’s version of Christ’s crucifixion. Later that night, the Pope traces the Via Crucis, or Stations of the Cross, from the Colosseum to Palatine Hill. This torch-lit procession is one of the grandest, most solemn things you can witness in Rome.
Saturday
Saturday night is traditionally the time of the Easter Vigil, when the Pope celebrates a late mass in St Peter’s Basilica. This is also traditionally when converts are accepted into the Catholic Church.
Easter Sunday (April 4)
On Easter Sunday, the Pope says mass in St Peter’s Square starting at 10:15am. Despite the crowds – typically this is the most attended event of Holy Week – you should be able to spot the Holy Father, high above the square on a balcony of the church. At noon, he delivers the ‘Urbi et Orbi’ message – ‘to the city and the world – in which the Pope grants forgiveness to those present and to Catholics world wide.
Visiting Rome During Holy Week
Although these events are generally free, some require tickets (a must if you want a seat, or in some cases if you want to get in at all). Honestly, it is not easy to get tickets – we’re saying this simply to set your expectations.
For Catholics, this is usually arranged through your bishop. You might also try the American Seminary in Rome. For non-Catholics, it’s a bit dicier, but you might try the American Seminary.
The Vatican museums (and those throughout Rome) are generally open during Holy Week, with the exceptions of Easter Sunday and the following Monday.
