From May 2024, St. Peter’s Basilica will launch a welcoming service for pilgrims travelling along the Via Francigena, the Romea Strata, and the Via Romea Germanica. Thanks to the collaboration between the Fabbrica di San Pietro and the Homo Viator Foundation – San Teobaldo of the Diocese of Vicenza, pilgrims from around the world will be warmly welcomed upon their arrival in Rome, before they reach the tomb of St. Peter. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and President of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, shared with our Association how this project came about, aiming to provide pilgrims with an appropriate and spiritual welcome during their journey.
A project of welcome for the journey of faith
“This project was born from a meeting with Don Raimondo Sinibaldi and other enthusiasts of pilgrimage routes, with whom we shared the desire to offer pilgrims a proper welcome at St. Peter’s”, explained Cardinal Gambetti. The collaboration between the Fabbrica di San Pietro and the Homo Viator Foundation was a concrete response to the needs of pilgrims, offering them a place to rest and reflect before arriving at the Basilica. The Foundation, with its experience in managing hospitality services, made this service possible thanks to the volunteers who were already providing welcome services in the Holy Land.
Gambetti added: “The attention and closeness help pilgrims feel more welcomed and appreciated in this unique place, which is dear to all the faithful around the world.” The goal is to foster reflection and prayer, providing those who come from afar with a space to find inner peace after their long physical and spiritual journey.
Monitoring arrivals: data and growth in the flow of pilgrims
The welcome service also includes careful monitoring of the pilgrims arriving at St. Peter’s. Each pilgrim is asked to complete a form with essential information such as the starting point, the motivation for the journey, and the means of transportation used. Thanks to this data, a significant increase in arrivals has been recorded. “We saw a 74% increase between 2023 (3,319 forms) and 2024 (5,576).” The majority of pilgrims are men aged between 50 and 69, mostly travelling on foot, confirming the growing popularity of the Via Francigena and the Roman Ways.
The crucial role of volunteers in hospitality
A key aspect of this project is the role of volunteers. Every day, four volunteers – two in the morning and two in the afternoon – are present to ensure continuous hospitality at the Basilica’s Welcome Area and at the “Varco Oranti” in St. Peter’s Square. As Gambetti explains: “The volunteers’ task is to offer attention to those who, after a long physical and spiritual journey, wish to feel well-received in this unique and holy place.”
The service also includes the handing over of the “Testimonium“, a special certificate confirming participation in the pilgrimage, produced on parchment with the icons of Saints Peter and Paul. This symbolic gesture represents a recognition of the spiritual journey made by each pilgrim, regardless of the distance travelled, as long as it is no less than one hundred kilometres.
The Via Francigena: a physical and spiritual journey
The Via Francigena is not only a physical journey but also an inner journey, and thanks to the welcome project of the Fabbrica di San Pietro, pilgrims can feel received, supported, and respected in an environment that fosters spiritual reflection. It is a tangible sign of how the journey can unite people from all over the world, creating a network of solidarity and hospitality that transcends physical and cultural distances.
Opening hours of the information point: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 07:30 – 18:00
Wednesday: 13:00 – 18:00
For further information, the Welcome Office of St. Peter’s Basilica can be contacted through the following channels:
Email: accoglienza@fsp.va – Tel. +39 06 6982 (switchboard)
