St. Peter's Basilica Archives - Inside The Vatican

The heart of Christmas is hope
The heart of Christmas is hope
Special Event

The heart of Christmas is hope

In his homily at Christmas Mass “During the Night” in St Peter’s Basilica, the Pope reflects on how, with the birth of Jesus, everything becomes a source of hope The Christmas story is retold every year with all the places, people and themes we know so well: the stable, the shepherds, the birth. But perhaps the [...]

Pope urges defence and promotion of Latin American, Caribbean richness and diversity
Pope urges defence and promotion of Latin American, Caribbean richness and diversity
In the Pope's Words

Pope urges defence and promotion of Latin American, Caribbean richness and diversity

The mother of God is a figure of the Church from whom we want to learn ‎to be a Church that embraces all the richness and cultural diversity of the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, where no one feels ashamed or small. Pope Francis’ exhortation came in his homily at an evening Mass on to commemorate the feast of Our Lady [...]

World Day of the Poor: they open for us the way to heaven
World Day of the Poor: they open for us the way to heaven
Morning Mass Homilies

World Day of the Poor: they open for us the way to heaven

Pope Francis celebrated Mass on Sunday – the XXXIII Sunday in Ordinary Time and the first-ever World Day of the Poor – in St. Peter’s Basilica. The Holy Father announced the World Day of the Poor during the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy, and entrusted its organization and promotion to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. There were [...]

'Our faith makes us men and women of hope'
'Our faith makes us men and women of hope'
Morning Mass Homilies

'Our faith makes us men and women of hope'

Pope Francis on Friday celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for all those Cardinals and Bishops who have died over the past year. During his homily the Pope reflected on the reality of death, but he also reminded us of the promise of eternal life which is grounded in our union with the risen Christ. “Today’s celebration, Pope Francis said, [...]

Pope Francis: homily at Easter Vigil, 2017
Pope Francis: homily at Easter Vigil, 2017
In the Pope's Words

Pope Francis: homily at Easter Vigil, 2017

Pope Francis delivered the homily at the Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on the evening of Holy Saturday, 2017. Below, please find the full text of his prepared remarks, in their official English translation. Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis Easter Vigil 15 April 2017 “After the Sabbath, as the first day of the [...]

Letter #59, 2016: The Face of Christ and Unity

September 18, 2016, Sunday -- The Face of Christ and Unity "Seeking the Face of Jesus must be the longing of all of us Christians... If we persevere in our quest for the Face of the Lord, at the end of our earthly pilgrimage, he, Jesus, will be our eternal joy, our reward and glory for [...]

Ecumenism of choirs
Ecumenism of choirs
Special Event

Ecumenism of choirs

A prayer in Chinese “for persecuted Christians” and that all political leaders might work towards justice and peace. This characterized the Mass Pope Francis celebrated in St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday morning, 29 June, the solemnity of the Patron Saints of Rome. After the Mass, the Holy Father personally conveyed the pallium to 22 new Metropolitan [...]

Monsignor Iacobone: Editor and Author

035_arca The volume La Basilica di San Pietro is whose brainchild? Mons. Pasquale Iacobone: Our friends at the publisher FMR/UTET, Dr. Fabio Lazzari and Marco Castelluzzo, proposed the idea because they had access to an exceptional corpus of photographs of St. Peter’s by Aurelio Amendola. It included photographs he’d taken in the past, in [...]

“Christmas Is Time to Feel God’s Closeness, Experience Peace”

Pope Francis waves a he delivers his Christmas blessing (to the city and the world) form the central balcony at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican December 25. At St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis celebrates his first solemn Christmas midnight Mass as pontiff. Celebrating the first Christmas since his election, Pope Francis preached the [...]

Letter #3: Rome on Monday of Holy Week
Gallery
Letter #3: Rome on Monday of Holy Week
The Moynihan Letters

Letter #3: Rome on Monday of Holy Week

Monday, April 2, 2012 Seven years ago today, on April 2, 2005, Blessed Pope John Paul II died after almost 27 years as successor of St. Peter. He was 84. I went into St. Peter's Basilica today, to visit the late Pope's tomb. A Mass was being celebrated, in Italian. It ended with a hymn to [...]