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Vatican rules & regulations | Know what you can & cannot do

The landlocked city-state of the Vatican came into existence with the signing of the Lateran Treaty in 1929. It is a land of great religious and cultural significance, drawing millions of visitors each year. By virtue of being the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, they have some strict rules and regulations in place. If you are planning a trip to the Vatican make sure that you familiarise yourself with these guidelines so that you can enjoy a hassle-free trip

Vatican rules & regulations

• You have to be dressed appropriately to gain entry to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Vatican Gardens.
• Visitors are not permitted to wear sleeveless, low-cut garments, shorts that end above the knee, miniskirts, and hats.
• Those with any visible personal objects or personal signs, such as jewelry or tattoos that may offend Catholic morality, the Catholic religion, and common decency will also be denied entry.

Personal belongings

• Visitors will have to leave luggage, suitcases, bags, packages, and containers bigger than 40 x 35 x 15 cm in the cloakroom.
• Rucksacks that can be carried on the shoulders and don't exceed the widest part of the body by more than 15 cm can be carried inside.
• Jewelry, valuable objects, wallets, phones, video cameras, etc cannot be stowed in the cloakroom.
• However, visitors should not leave their baggage in the Vatican Museums if they are headed to St Peter's Basilica.

Forbidden items

• Medium and large umbrellas, as well as full-length non-folding umbrellas, sticks (walking sticks not included), video cameras, banners, and signs of any type must be left in the cloakroom. You can avail yourself of cloakroom services for free.
• Knives, scissors, and/or metal tools of various types to be stored in the cloakroom.
• Firearms or other dangerous materials cannot be brought into the Museums.
• The use of any type of laser pointer and amplified microphones are not permitted in the Vatican Museums.

Food & drink

• Alcoholic beverages will not be allowed inside the Vatican Museums and must be left in the cloakroom.
• You cannot eat or drink when inside the exhibition halls.

• The use of mobile phones is strongly discouraged inside the exhibition spaces.
• Phones must be kept on silent mode.

• The Vatican Museums are a "no smoking area".
• Electronic cigarettes and similar instruments are also not allowed inside.

Visiting Sistine Chapel

• While visiting the Sistine Chapel visitors are requested to observe absolute silence.
• Photography is prohibited in the Sistine Chapel.
• Using mobile phones is forbidden in the Sistine Chapel.

Pets and guide dogs

• Animals are not allowed access to the Vatican Museums, as well as to the museum of the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo.
• Guide dogs for the blind or partially-sighted are allowed. However, they must be equipped with a muzzle and lead. Inform the concerned persons by sending an email to [email protected] at least one day in advance.

Photography

• Visitors are allowed to take photographs for personal and domestic use only.
• Flash photography is forbidden.
• The use of tripods, stands, drones, selfie sticks, and/or professional equipment is not allowed.
• Flash photography is strictly forbidden.

• Paper, tins, bottles, and other refuse must not be discarded in the Vatican Museums.
• They must be placed in the appropriate containers placed outside the itinerary.

Lost & found

• If you have lost a personal belonging, report at the nearest security point.
• If you have already left the Museums, email [email protected] .
• All items stored in the cloakroom should be collected on the same day, before the closing of the Museums. If not, the item will be considered a lost property and destroyed within 48 hours.

Safeguarding works of art

• Visitors, apart from blind and partially sighted visitors participating in tactile and multisensory visits, are prohibited from touching the works of art throughout the museums.
• Remember that all the works conserved within the Museums are equipped with an advanced alarm and video surveillance system.

Visiting Vatican Museums

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Vatican relaxes vaccine mandate, masking rules

People have their "green pass," signifying vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test taken within 48 hours, checked before entering the Vatican Museums at the Vatican in this Aug. 6, 2021, file photo. The Vatican has updated its COVID-19 protocols, allowing most employees and visitors to enter Vatican City State without a vaccination certificate or proof of recovery. (Guglielmo Mangiapane/CNS/Reuters)

Junno Arocho Esteves

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Catholic News Service

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The Vatican updated its COVID-19 protocols, allowing most employees and visitors to enter Vatican City State without a vaccination certificate or proof of recovery.

In a decree published June 2 by the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said that "entry to the dicasteries, bodies and offices that make up the Roman Curia and the institutions connected with the Holy See is permitted without the obligation" of having the vaccine certificate known as a "super green pass."

In Italy, the "super green pass" was given only to people who were fully vaccinated or recently recovered from the disease, thus placing even more restrictions on those who were unvaccinated without medical reason.

However, the decree stated that the vaccine mandate "remained in effect for the Pontifical Swiss Guards."

Cardinal Parolin also eased the Vatican's mask requirements, decreeing that wearing masks indoors or in large gatherings, while no longer required, "is strongly recommended."

Nevertheless, "the obligation to comply with health requirements regarding hand sanitation and the frequent ventilation and periodic sanitization of rooms remains," the decree said.

Unvaccinated employees who have had contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 are allowed to return to their offices after a 10-day quarantine period and a negative test result. However, vaccinated employees who have had contact with someone who is positive can go to work immediately but they are required to wear high-filtering FFP2 masks indoors, it said.

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Green Pass required for access into Vatican from 1 October

By Vatican News staff writer

From 1 October, entry into Vatican City State will only be permitted to persons who are in possession of a Vatican "Green Pass", a "European Green Pass," or a foreign Covid-19 green pass attesting to vaccination or recovery from SARS-COV-2. Entry will also be granted to those who have a negative molecular or antigenic test for the SARS-COV-2 virus.

The new measures come in the form of a decree from the office of the President of the Pontifical Commission of Vatican City State on the subject of Public Health emergencies, issued in response to a request made by Pope Francis during an audience on 7 September.

The Pope affirmed the necessity of ensuring “the health and well-being of the working community while respecting the dignity, rights and fundamental freedoms of each of its members," and requested the Governorate to "adopt every suitable measure to prevent, control and counteract the health emergency."

The control of access to the State is the responsibility of the Gendarmerie Corps, the Decree notes, and its provisions “apply to citizens, residents of the State, personnel serving in any capacity in the Governorate of Vatican City State, in the various bodies of the Roman Curia and related institutions, and to all visitors and users of services.”

An exception to the Decree is granted for those participating in liturgical celebrations, but only “for the time strictly necessary for the celebration,” during which health regulations regarding distancing, the use of personal protective equipment, limitation of movement and the assembly of people, and the adoption of specific hygiene norms must be respected.

Verification of compliance with the new norms will be carried out by the Service for the Health and Safety of Workers in the workplaces of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene.

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Vatican relaxes vaccine mandate, masking rules

• June 3, 2022

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican updated its COVID-19 protocols, allowing most employees and visitors to enter Vatican City State without a vaccination certificate or proof of recovery.

In a decree published June 2 by the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said that "entry to the dicasteries, bodies and offices that make up the Roman Curia and the institutions connected with the Holy See is permitted without the obligation" of having the vaccine certificate known as a "super green pass."

In Italy, the "super green pass" was given only to people who were fully vaccinated or recently recovered from the disease, thus placing even more restrictions on those who were unvaccinated without medical reason.

However, the decree stated that the vaccine mandate "remained in effect for the Pontifical Swiss Guards."

Cardinal Parolin also eased the Vatican's mask requirements, decreeing that wearing masks indoors or in large gatherings, while no longer required, "is strongly recommended."

Nevertheless, "the obligation to comply with health requirements regarding hand sanitation and the frequent ventilation and periodic sanitization of rooms remains," the decree said.

Unvaccinated employees who have had contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 are allowed to return to their offices after a 10-day quarantine period and a negative test result. However, vaccinated employees who have had contact with someone who is positive can go to work immediately but they are required to wear high-filtering FFP2 masks indoors, it said.

• Covid19 vaccine mandates
• Covid19 vaccine passports
• freedom of conscience

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Support The Catholic Register Unlike many other news websites, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our site. We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help. For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you. 

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