Christmas at the Vatican

24.12. Solemn Christmas masses in many churches

- e.g. in the German parish of Santa Maria dell' Anima, beginning at 10 p.m.

25. 12. Papal blessing "Urbi et orbi" in St. Peter's Square

Holy Masses for the Solemnity in the churches, usually starting at 10:00 a.m.

Every Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square, also on December 8 and 26.

No reservation and free entrance

Traditional Christmas menus on December 25

There is a wide choice of pasta dishes and the specialties of the

Roman cuisine lamb or rabbit. Finally the traditional

Christmas cookies pannettone or pandoro and caffè, grappa and liqueur. 

Around the holidays

The Christmas season in Rome begins on December 8. It lasts until January 6. During this time, the streets of Rome are festively decorated and illuminated - especially Via del Corso, Via Babuino, Via Frattina and Via Condotti, the great boulevards and promenades.

Piazza Navona - Aracoeli Basilica - Nativity Exhibition

Among many smaller traditional Christmas markets is the most famous and "Roman" Mercatino della Befana in Piazza Navona, open until January 6. In Italy, the gifts are given by the "Befana" only on St. Epiphany. In the Aracoeli Basilica, a famous wooden sculpture, the Bambino Gesù, is presented in the crib over the Christmas season and that is where children bring their wish lists. In all churches and cathedrals there are Christmas cribs, worth seeing is also the large exhibition "100 Presepi" with over 130 cribs from all over the world.