Client Stories - Mass at the Vatican

Over the years of sending my clients on their vacations, I have many clients come back and share with me stories of experiences on their trips.  I hope this will be the first of several stories I get to share with you about my client's experiences.
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This client called me to help her plan a trip for her and her daughter to go to Italy over the holidays.  She had some idea that she wanted to go to Rome and Florence and just have time to spend together.  She shared with me the reason she wanted to be away over the holiday.  With this information, I created a vacation that she and her daughter would remember for years to come.  

Since they were going to be in Rome on New Year's Eve and New Year’s Day, I wanted to find something special for them to experience. Through the help of my in-country partner, I was able to provide her information on a New Year’s Eve Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica and the Papal Mass for the Solemnity of Mary The Mother of God on January 1st at the Vatican.  The Mass at the Vatican on the 1st was a limited capacity and at the time, the tickets issued by the Papal Household were already sold out, but my Italy partner was able to secure tickets.  My clients were thrilled with this option to experience on their trip.  

On the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, the guide that we had arranged for them in Rome to tour the Colosseum and the Vatican on the previous day accompanied them to St. Peter’s Church, where the mass was being held.  The guides we use are lovely and go above and beyond in taking care of our clients. This guide, Azzurra, knew this was a special day for them so she put my clients in touch with the Priest that was in charge of the Mass for that day.  Through Azzurra interpreting, she asked the Priest if it was possible for him to mention their family member who recently passed away. During the Mass, the family members' name was mentioned during the service and my clients were so happy and grateful to have had that experience even with the Mass being spoken in Italian and Latin they heard the name.

Then on New Year’s Day, my clients were meet at their hotel lobby to be accompanied to the Vatican for the Papal Mass.  The tickets were previously collected for them at the Prefecture of the Papal Household the day before, so they did not have to think about where they would need to collect their tickets to the Mass.  The representative accompanied them inside the Basilica to a point where he had to hand my clients off to the escort to bring them to their seats.  My client described to me that the escort continued walking closer and closer to the Alter and when they finally were at their seats, they were only three rows away from the Alter in St. Peter’s Basilica.  I had heard from my Italian partner the day before that they got them an excellent position inside the Basilica, but my clients were amazed at the seats they had to experience the Mass.
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My clients called me after they returned from their trip and said this experience was amazing and exactly what they needed.  It is these stories that I hear from my clients that make my job the best in the world.