The Pope is the highest authority of the Catholic Church and as such his activities are so many that they make it impossible for him to personally attend to all the requests and needs of the people. That is why there is no other way to address him without it being with a certain formality, following the steps established by the corresponding protocol.
Regardless of the openness that the Holy Father has towards the faithful, authorities of other religions or authorities of different countries, it would be impossible for him to attend to everyone on a daily basis. That is why if you want to address the Pope you must do so through the two possible ways that there are: in writing or in person.
We will explain the steps you must follow so that you know how to contact the Pope so that you do it correctly and do not waste time trying in vain.
What do you need to contact the Pope?
- Vatican address
- Notepaper, pencil, envelope.
- Computer with Internet connection.
Instructions for contacting the Pope
- You must know the address of the Vatican, where the Pope resides and send him a letter in whose envelope it must be written to whom you are addressing it and the address. This is written as follows: His Holiness (or Holy Father), Pope Francis / Apostolic Palace / 00120 Vatican City, that is:
- You can also address the letter in these other ways: His Holiness, Pope Francis PP./ 00120 Via del Pellegrino/ Citta del Vaticano or His Holiness, Pope Francis / Apostolic Palace/ Vatican City or His Holiness, Pope Francis / City State from the Vatican, 00120
- Inside the envelope you must place the corresponding letter that must also begin addressed to the Pope correctly, that is, addressing him as “His Holiness” or “Most Holy Father”.
- Throughout the letter you must maintain a respectful tone but without ceasing to be who you are and expressing everything you want. Avoid using inappropriate words, you must address him with respect as if you were doing it to any authority.
- Write in your own language, whatever it is, because it will be translated for him if he doesn’t know it. Try to be concise in your letter, if it is to ingratiate yourself with him, give him support or simply ask him for something, do it in a few words, try not to make your letter too long so that he can read it completely and know what you are trying to say to him. quickly since there are too many letters that he reads daily.
- Leave a space to greet him and say goodbye to him politely. For example, you can use phrases like: “His Holiness says goodbye to his most humble servant, ………… (your name)”. If you are Catholic, surely words that do not require formality will come from your heart, that express your feelings and in a respectful tone, but it is always good to have a model so as not to escape too much from good customs and learn something from the corresponding protocol.
- In the event that you are not Catholic, you can write a more formal greeting, although always with respect and courtesy. For example: “With the best wishes for Your Holiness, he says goodbye to you very kindly………. (your name)
- You can also do it via email. The Pope does not have a direct email account but you can send your letter to the following address or by fax:
- If you have been able to make an appointment with the Pope in person, you must follow certain protocol rules: When you are in the room waiting for him to enter, generally with other people, stand up when you see him and applaud. If it were in an open and crowded place, the applause is more effusive and loud and it is not bad to cheer.
- If the Pope passes in front of you, bow your head, but if he stands in front of you, you must rest your right knee on the ground and recline your head. If you talk to him you should address him as “His Holiness of him”, not by his name.
- If the Pope approaches you and offers you his hand, you can do two things: if you are a Catholic, you can kiss his ring as a symbol of respect and acceptance, and if you are not, you can simply shake his hand.
Tips for contacting the Pope
- If you send the letter by conventional mail, like the first case, you can do it by writing with your own handwriting or on a computer. It’s more personal to do it the first way as long as you make legible handwriting.
- On the envelope, when you write the address of the Vatican, do not put “Italy”, remember that it is an independent state.
- If you have an appointment with the Pope, dress formally, on the other hand, if you are going to see him outdoors, in front of the Vatican, at a mass or youth meetings, for example, you can do it casually.