As Catholics around the world mourn Pope Francis, visitors to Rome may wonder how events surrounding his death will affect their visit to the Holy City. The Pope, reports the BBC, requested less fuss around his funeral than many predecessors but there will still be crowds and different activities than usual over the coming days and weeks.
In a simple wooden coffin, the Pope’s body will be displayed for nine days’ viewing in the Vatican before it is transported to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for burial on 26 April, the first time in over 100 years that a Pope will be interred somewhere else. At the time of writing, his lying in state has already drawn huge crowds who have been queuing to pay their respects to the deceased.
Easter is typically a busy holiday period anyway in Rome, and it is important not to forget that 2025 is a Jubilee Year, meaning there are likely to be more people around than usual – around 32 million are predicted across the 12 months. One Jubilee event, the Eucharistic celebration that was scheduled for 27 April for the Jubilee of Teenagers, has already been cancelled.
With the Pope’s passing on top of Easter and the Jubilee, tourists should expect to wait for much longer than usual to access the Vatican and be prepared for large numbers of people, especially around St. Peter’s Square, Via della Conciliazione and central Rome.
As well as crowds, anyone planning a last-minute trip to experience the extraordinary events taking place at the heart of one of the most powerful organisations in the world, should expect higher plane fares and higher accommodation prices.
In addition to what some tour operators have called the “once-in-a-lifetime” events happening in Vatican Square, other churches around the city such as the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside The Walls will also see increased numbers of visitors.
Next in the order of things, around 120 Cardinals gather for a Conclave to deliberate over the Pope’s successor for 15 to 20 days. The cardinals are sworn to secrecy behind locked chapel doors until their ballots are submitted and a white smoke signal from the chimney reveals that a new Pope has been chosen.
During that time, due to the chapel closure, those hoping to see the Sistine ceiling will be disappointed, but other parts of the Vatican, such as museums, including the Raphael Rooms, as well as shops, restaurants, public transport and taxis, will usually remain open. Those with tours pre-booked should check with their operator on the status of their visit.
