It was Sunday, and initially we planned to attend Mass at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, hoping it would be less crowded. However, Fr. Aldo informed us that the Pope would be celebrating Mass that day, as it was the Jubilee of Prisoners.
With jet lag still lingering, we woke up early and decided to visit the Trevi Fountain before the crowds arrived. We reached Fontana di Trevi around 8 a.m., and thankfully it was still quiet. We were able to take photos peacefully without worrying too much about pickpockets.
After that, around 9 a.m., we took a public bus to the Vatican to attend Sunday Mass. We didn’t have high expectations, as we hadn’t registered early. By God’s grace, when we arrived around 9:30 a.m., we were still able to find seats at St. Peter’s Square and follow the Mass via the large screens. Although we couldn’t receive Holy Communion due to the massive crowd and limited number of ministers, we were still deeply grateful to be present for Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
After Mass, we had a quick lunch at a nearby pasta shop before heading to join the Holy Door procession.
As our family was only five people, we joined another pilgrimage group for the Holy Door procession. Once we reached St. Peter’s Basilica, we continued on our own.
Inside, we received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and later went up to the dome, where we were rewarded with a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of Vatican City.
We stayed at the Vatican until sunset. It was a truly fruitful day, and we felt deeply blessed.
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