Q: I am planning a trip to Rome, and I’d like to know how I go about seeing Pope Benedict XVI?

There are a couple of occasions on which to see the Holy Father, when he’s in town.

On Sundays at noon, the Pope usually appears at the second window from the right of the Apostolic Palace, to pray the Angelus and bless the crowd in St Peter’s Square. No ticket is required.

Alternatively, you can attend the Wednesday General Audience held in St Peter's Square. In winter the audience is held in the Paul VI Hall accessed just to the left of the Square. Tickets are required for the Audience, but are easily obtained.

The easiest way to get tickets just days before the Wednesday General Audience with the Holy Father is to go to St. Peter's Square, find the Bronze Doors to the Apostolic Palace, and request them from the Swiss Guards. Tickets can also be obtained in advance for a large group or for a Papal Mass. Note: Christmas and Easter Papal Mass tickets are difficult to obtain.

When the Pope is at his summer residence (July and August), the General Audience is held in the Courtyard in the town of Castelgandolfo. He leads the prayer from his study window. Tickets are not required for this event, but at Castelgandolfo (16 miles out of Rome) space is very limited.

www.stpetersbasilica.org/touristinfo.htm has all this information and more for booking tickets in advance as well as giving useful information about important and special places and events in Rome.

Best of luck with the bookings, and have a great trip.