I’ve been visiting Rome for more than a decade, and my usual strategy for seeing St. Peter’s Basilica has always been to arrive around 7:00 a.m. In the past, there was little to no line at that hour, and the basilica was often relatively quiet. I also made a point of avoiding afternoon and evening visits because the queue would usually stretch around St. Peter’s Square.
This week, however, I noticed the exact opposite. I stopped by around 4:00 p.m. one afternoon and was able to walk straight to the security screening area with virtually no wait. The following day, I returned around 5:00 p.m. and had the same experience.
Thinking the early morning would still be the quietest time, I arrived at 6:45 a.m. for the 7:00 a.m. Mass. To my surprise, there was already a sizable line, and it took roughly 20 minutes to get inside.
Has anyone else noticed this shift? It feels like the traditional crowd patterns have completely reversed.
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