8 Ways Catholics Can Stay Connected To The Vatican From Afar

Heading to Rome to visit the Vatican — the centre of the Catholic Church — is a bucket list trip for all Catholics, but you don’t necessarily need to be there in person to feel connected to the home of Pope Leo XIV. You can do so even from afar, no matter where you are in the world!

While the Catholic Church still highly values in-person connections, it’s also increasingly digital, allowing believers who live on the other side of the planet to get their daily dose of Catholic life. If you’re feeling nostalgic for your last trip to the Vatican, or you’re still waiting for the day when you can visit, then the following eight strategies, all of which will bring you closer to the Vatican, are for you. 

One of the main reasons millions of travelers head to Rome each year is to see the Pope deliver the Angelus prayer, which happens every Sunday from a window that overlooks the famous St. Peter’s Square. 

But you don’t need to be there to hear what Pope Leo XIV has to say. The service is livestreamed on the official Vatican YouTube channel, allowing you to tune in. It only lasts around 20 - 30 minutes, but it’s well worth making it part of your Sunday routine. Just be aware that it takes place at midday Rome time, so you’ll need to factor in the time difference if you live outside of Rome time. 

Want the latest news about the Vatican, straight from the source? Then sign up for the Vatican newsletter, which is delivered daily or weekly depending on your preferences. What’s good about this newsletter is that it gives you all the news you need to know, without the editorial spin that you’d get from other websites and newspapers. It’s a simple way to bring the Vatican into your inbox, and into your life.

If you want to go even deeper, then you could also consider signing up for the official Vatican newspaper. They have an online edition that goes into much more detail than the newsletter. 

Did you know that you can apply for an official papal blessing? This decorated document comes with Latin text and the Pope’s name, and makes for an excellent gift, either for yourself or for someone else in your family. They’re generally reserved for birthdays, communions, weddings, and other special occasions, and can be ordered online.

They can take a bit of time to arrive — sometimes months if you’re on another continent — but once you’ve got it, you’ll find that it has pride of place on your home’s walls for many years to come. 

Devotional items can be a beautiful, effective way to bring your faith into your everyday life, and they have even more significance when they come from Rome itself. There are stores located right in St. Peter’s Square, facing the exact window where the Pope delivers his blessing every Sunday, that sell rosary rings, rosary necklaces, and pendant crosses, and other products online, helping to connect you to the Vatican from afar. These devotional items are typically highly elegant, too, and allow you to carry a little bit of Rome with you wherever you go. 

The Vatican not only has its own radio station, but it’s also one of the oldest radio broadcasters on the planet. It’s been in operation since way back in 1931, and today it has been modernised so that people from around the world can tune in more conveniently than ever. The programmes on Vatican Radio encompass talks, interviews, and religious reflections, and can be a great way to deepen your connection and understanding of the Vatican while you’re on your way to work or preparing dinner. 

What’s nice about Vatican Radio is that it genuinely can feel like stepping into an older, simpler world. Sometimes, you’ll tune in, and they’ll be playing a classic Chopin piece. It’s available in several languages, including English, and can also be a great way to improve your Italian if you’re planning a trip to Italy anytime soon. 

Most of the tips that we’ve included in this list so far will help you to feel connected to the Vatican and the goings-on at the Catholic Church, but they won’t necessarily connect you to the broader area around the Vatican.

That’s where Rome-based content creators, who regularly upload videos — often daily — to YouTube can come in. These content creators show you life from the street level, which really can give a strong impression of what it must be like to be there in person. Some of the most well-known creators include The Catholic Traveler and Katie and Spencer Bolte. 

If you haven’t yet been to Rome but have plans to, then we’d recommend skipping this point, so you get the full impact when you’re there. However, if you’ve already been and want to relive your experience, or have no plans to visit Italy, then taking a virtual tour of the Vatican Museums is recommended. The official website has pretty much the entire collection available as 360-degree tours, allowing you to see its wonders from the comfort of your own home.

Just be sure to go to the official Vatican website, where tours are free. Some websites offer paid virtual tours, using the exact same content that you’d see at the official site. Avoid those ones. 

One of the best ways to feel connected to the Vatican is to help support its charitable works, which Catholics have been doing for hundreds of years. There’s a big drive for Peter’s Pence in late June, but you can make donations year-round. What’s nice about taking this approach is that you’ll be doing much more than feeling a connection to the Vatican; you’ll be actively supporting it to make a positive impact in the world.