WHAT IS A PAPAL BLESSING AND HOW CAN I GET ONE?

Papal blessings can be received at the Papal Audiences in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesdays, or during the Sunday Angelus held at noon.

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A Papal Blessing can often be granted for special occasions like baptisms, confirmations, marriages, or anniversaries. It’s typically commemorated with a hand-painted parchment certificate inscribed with the name(s) of the recipients and the occasion.

These blessings are a symbol of the Pope’s spiritual connection and can be requested by individuals or families through the Office of Papal Charities, or call your local Archdiocese to get you connected with someone.

Go HERE to get your Papal Blessing!

The request process must be followed by supplying the necessary data and by following the instructions indicated in the various sections:

1. Choose the occasion for which the Apostolic Blessing is being sought.
2. Choose the parchment template (according to the various occasions).
3. Enter the data needed for the preparation of the parchment (one or more parchments can be requested in this way).
4. Registration of the person making the request (one can create a personal account which can be used for future requests), and choice of collection at the Vatican* (during the opening hours indicated) or mailing to anywhere in the world, by DHL Express Courier (the destination address is to be inserted, which can be different from the address of the person making the request).
* Service available only for requests from Rome.
5. Contribution paid by credit card (only VISA and MasterCard). An email is then sent from the Charities office that confirms the process has been completed correctly.

2.2 Information needed to request parchments:

– the name and surname of the person(s) for whom the Blessing is being requested;
– the reason or occasion prompting the request;
– the date, the name of the church and the place where the occasion is taking place and for which the Blessing is being requested (these are all necessary in the case of a Sacrament, religious profession or an anniversary; the date of the occasion may not be more than six months away, or less than four months from the day of request);
– the address (together with email address and phone number with international prefix), where the parchment is to be posted.

2.3.  Time needed for parchments to be ready is about 15 days for collection at the Charities Offices (the data on which a Parchment can be collected will be given in the confirmation email), and 20 days in the case of post (the DHL Express Courier will send an email for taking over the delivery charge, and with the relevant tracking number).

Circumstances and occasions for which papal blessing parchments are granted

1. Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation (only for single person)
2. Marriage
3. Priestly Ordination
4. Religious Profession
5. Ordination of Permanent Deacons
6. Anniversary (10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 years) of Marriage*, Priestly Ordination, Religious Profession
7. Birthday (18, 30, 40, 50, 55, 60, 65,70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100-110 years)

– Information Found HERE on the website to request a Papal Blessing