ROME (CNS) -- The Jubilee Year, the death of Pope Francis and the unexpected election of a U.S. pope boosted the number of U.S. visitors seeking free tickets to Vatican events in 2025, said the Bishops' Office for U.S. Visitors to the Vatican.

The peak moments with the highest visitor volume were in October and Nov. 26, 2025, the day before Thanksgiving and the pope's first trip abroad, when there were 2,000 to 2,300 ticket requests for three Wednesday general audiences, it said.

Also, the period of Pope Francis' death, April 21, and the election of Pope Leo, May 8, saw a "huge spike" in emails requesting information and tickets, said the office, which is sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Pontifical North American College.

Other events triggering increased interest and inquiries were the funeral of Pope Francis April 26, and Pope Leo's inaugural Mass, May 18, the office said. Large numbers of Americans were already in Rome in late April for St. Carlo Acutis' anticipated April 27 canonization, which was then postponed until Sept. 7.  

The small office near the Trevi Fountain said it handed out about 24,000 Wednesday general audience tickets for just 28 general audiences held in 2025, which showed a 64% increase from 2024, when about 21,900 tickets were requested over 42 general audiences held that year.  

While there are no general audiences in July and the visitors' office is closed in August, there were fewer audiences in 2025 because Pope Francis was in the hospital starting Feb. 14; after his death April 21, audiences were on hold until after Pope Leo was elected May 8.

Mercy Sister Marie Thérèse Savidge, RSM, coordinator for the USCCB's Visitors' Office, said they stayed open nonetheless, even when there were no general audience tickets to distribute. 

They held a period of Eucharistic adoration and prayer in the residence's chapel, and "it was a privilege to witness the faith of the handful of visitors each week who came to take timeout of their pilgrimage schedule to pray and intercede for Pope Francis," Sister Marie Thérèse wrote in an article that appeared on the Archdiocese of Los Angeles' site AngelusNews.com Dec. 30.

When Wednesday general audiences resumed May 21 "the response was remarkable," she wrote. "We were used to welcoming about 900 people in peak seasons. But for Pope Leo's first audience, more than 1,800 came, and since then pilgrims have continued to come in larger numbers than ever."

The visitors' office also provided support and information for at least 23 papal Masses held in 2025, it added.  

The office, tucked away in the Casa Santa Maria, the residence for U.S. priests doing graduate studies in Rome, is where hundreds of Americans -- and not only -- go on Tuesday afternoons to pick up their tickets for the pope's weekly general audience on Wednesdays. It has been offering these services since the early 1970s.

They are welcomed by the Mercy Sisters of Alma, Michigan, aided by U.S. priests and seminarians studying in Rome.  

After requesting tickets online before beginning their journeys, the visitors pick up their tickets at the office in Rome and receive detailed information on when to go to the Vatican for the audience and what to bring or not bring -- metal water bottles and rolling suitcases topping the list of forbidden items.

The sisters also explain who the pope is, why he is important and what the meaning of his blessing is.  

They also briefly talk about the sacraments and their availability in Rome, including at the visitors' office, where they have priests available to hear confessions.

The office estimated they had from four to six priests hearing confessions for two to three hours during almost every ticket distribution day from May to December in 2025.

Office staff also tallied the numbers of small groups by state, that is, families, individuals and newlyweds requesting tickets for the first 12 audiences of the year, from January until the end of June. Naturally, California, Texas and Florida -- states with the highest populations -- ranked in the top three. However, Illinois -- Pope Leo's home state and the sixth most populous state in the U.S. -- had more visitors than New York, the fourth most populous state.  

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