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The basilica rises over the burial place of Saint Peter, the fisherman Jesus called the rock of his Church.
Peter came to Rome, led the believers there, and was martyred nearby during the reign of Nero, around the year 64. The first church on this spot was raised by the Emperor Constantine in the fourth century, directly above Peter's grave. The basilica you see today was rebuilt between 1506 and 1626, and carries the hand of Michelangelo, who designed its great dome, and of Bernini, who shaped the vast square before it.
Beneath the main altar, deep under the floor, lies the tomb the whole building was raised to honour.
For a Catholic pilgrim, Rome is not an add on to the Holy Land. It is the other half of home. Jerusalem is where the faith was born, and Rome is where it was carried, defended and handed on.
To stand in Saint Peter's is to stand at the end of a line that runs straight from the empty tomb to your own parish. Pilgrims come to pray at the tomb of Peter, to attend Mass at the altars of the basilica, and many to receive a blessing from the Holy Father.
Is Saint Peter's free to enter? Yes, entry to the basilica is free. There is a charge to climb the dome and to visit the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.
How should I dress? Modestly. Shoulders and knees covered, the same as the holy sites in Israel.
Can our group attend Mass or a Papal audience? Yes. Mass is daily, and Papal audiences are usually on Wednesdays. We arrange the timing and access.
Holy Sites
Tell us which sites you hope to see and we will shape a journey around them.
