| A visit to Rome at Christmas is actually quite special. | | | | Services are available in English to help visitors obtain |
| Summer heat and crowds have long gone, and | | | | tickets for special masses such as those given on |
| airfares to this tourist destination are much cheaper | | | | Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. For more |
| than at other times of year. Although the weather is | | | | information, contact the Bishops Office for U.S. |
| cold, it rarely reaches freezing, and snow and ice are | | | | Visitors Office to the Vatican at: |
| nearly unheard of here. Accommodation does get a | | | | U.S. Bishop's Visitor Office, Via dell' Umilta' 30, 00187 |
| bit more costly during the weeks of Christmas and | | | | Rome, Italy |
| New Years, but often last minute special offers can | | | | Tel. 011-3906-6900-1821 FAX: 011/3906/679-1448 |
| be found, and a double room in a fairly central | | | | Email: |
| accommodation can be found starting at about 60 | | | | Be sure to keep in mind that the Vatican Museums |
| euro per night. | | | | and Sistine Chapel will most certainly be closed on |
| The following is a short guide to planning your 2008 | | | | December 25 and 26, making Vatican Tours |
| Christmas holiday in Rome. | | | | impossible on those days. Vatican opening hours will |
| Rome sightseeing | | | | remain as normal on December 23, 24, and 27. |
| Though religious sites do attract many pilgrims to the | | | | Christmas Mass in English |
| city during the holidays, many still have their hearts | | | | If you don't elect to attend Christmas mass at St. |
| set on typical Rome sightseeing and taking in the | | | | Peter's or if you can't secure tickets, you may still |
| major attractions of Rome and the Vatican. While | | | | attend a regular Christmas mass given in English. The |
| touring the city, we highly recommend taking some | | | | American church of Santa Susanna will be celebrating |
| time out to visit some of the impressive nativity | | | | mass at 10:30 AM. Santa Susanna church is located at |
| scenes scattered throughout the city. Perhaps the | | | | Largo Santa Susanna, just a few blocks from piazza |
| most awe-inspiring is that built in the center of St. | | | | della Repubblica and Piazza Barberini. |
| Peter's Square. This life size nativity scene was first | | | | A Christmas Meal |
| inaugurated by Pope John Paul II in 1982. The project | | | | Whether mass is on your agenda or not, most |
| takes weeks, sometimes even months to assemble | | | | visitors can agree on the need for a nice meal to |
| and is normally unveiled on or about December 24. In | | | | celebrate Christmas day. While many restaurants will |
| 2007, Pope Benedict decided to overhaul the usual | | | | be closed on Christmas Day in Rome, those located |
| nativity scene by replacing the traditional Bethlehem | | | | within the larger hotels are a safe bet and normally |
| manger depiction with a scene from Joseph's | | | | offer a special Christmas menu. Hotel Eden, for |
| Nazareth carpentry shop. Additional renowned nativity | | | | example not only offers breathtaking views of Rome |
| scenes can be found in the remaining three patriarchal | | | | from its terrace, but also has a locally renowned |
| Basilicas of Rome: Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni | | | | restaurant. Prices are moderate to high, but a meal |
| in Laterano, and San Paolo Fuori Le Mura. | | | | enjoyed at the Eden is surely to be one you will |
| Holiday Public Transportation | | | | remember. |
| Christmas in Rome is not an exemplary day for public | | | | For those wishing to spend a bit less, a nice Roman |
| transport. The Rome subway normally closes its | | | | restaurant that typically offers a lovely Christmas |
| doors completely, while buses run very infrequently. | | | | meal is Il Pagliaccio, located at Via dei Banchi Vecchi |
| Should you be fortunate enough to have found | | | | 129A. Advance reservations will probably be required |
| lodging in the center of Rome, some sound advice | | | | at any restaurant in Rome on December 25. |
| might be to limit your Christmas adventures to | | | | Holiday Do-Gooding |
| destinations you can reach by walking. For the less | | | | While we can all benefit from the power of a little |
| fortunate, the ATAC website will post updates on | | | | unselfish giving, this becomes especially important |
| the service to be provided on Christmas Eve and | | | | during the holidays. A giant Christmas feast is |
| Christmas Day. Taxis do operate on Christmas, but | | | | coordinated by the Roman Community of SantEgidio |
| finding one can be next to impossible. | | | | inside the Santa Maria in Trastevere church. In years |
| Attending Mass at the Vatican | | | | past, over 2,000 of Rome's homeless have enjoyed |
| The Vatican Mass schedule for 2008 will be as | | | | a proper Christmas meal at this heartwarming event. |
| follows: | | | | Most of the volunteers who work at the event are |
| December 24: Pope Benedict presides over midnight | | | | organized in advance, but certainly even last minute |
| mass from inside the Papal chapel at St. Peter's. | | | | donations such as clothes, toys and even money |
| December 25: the Pope again gives mass, this time | | | | would not be turned away. |
| from the high altar at St. Peter's at 12:00 noon. | | | | |