My first stay at Domus Santa Marta is an experience unlike anything I have ever experienced before. I have spent many weekends traveling throughout Europe, staying in hotels, Airbnbs, or with family and friends. But stepping off the bus and into Piazza Santa Marta, directly in front of the home of Pope Francis and just fifty steps from St. Peter’s Basilica, is difficult to put into words. On one side stands the enormous basilica; on the other is the place where I rest alongside the other pilgrims.
When the doors of the Domus open, we enter with our suitcases and make our way into the lobby to find our rooms. Deborah gives me a short tour, including the small chapel that I remember seeing on television during Pope Francis’ funeral. This is where his body lies, and where he is carried from the Domus, through the square, and into the basilica for his funeral. Later, I return to watch the funeral procession again, this time with a completely different perspective after walking that same path every day during our pilgrimage.
The Domus is simple and clean, but the art that fills its walls is extraordinary. Stunning paintings and murals surround us. I spend many moments pausing to admire and reflect on the different pieces of art, often alongside fellow pilgrims and pilgrim leaders. The rooms facing the front of the Domus look out onto the piazza and St. Peter’s Basilica, offering a view that is almost impossible to comprehend.
For me, the best time to see the basilica is in the early morning, when I watch birds circle the top of the dome as priests and religious begin driving or walking into Vatican City to start their days. But I also love seeing it at night, when everything becomes completely quiet and dark. The basilica stands illuminated against the sea of blackness, and the glory and wonder of my faith seem to be on display right in front of me.
On Wednesdays, during the Papal Audience, we walk through the “Tunnel of the Bells,” where two Swiss Guards stand and salute us as we pass. Walking through the tunnel and into the square offers an experience unlike any other. I see the square from a different angle and feel as though I am entering it from a completely different world. For a moment, I feel like royalty.
After the audience, when the Gendarmerie begins moving everyone out of the square, our small group of pilgrims returns to the Tunnel of the Bells. Once again, the Swiss Guards salute as we reenter Vatican City. From there, we have only a short walk through the cobblestone streets back to the Domus.
Along the way, we pass the marble marker on the ground where the obelisk at the center of St. Peter’s Square originally stood before it was moved in 1586. We also pass the office where visitors gather for tours of the Necropolis, where they can see the tomb of St. Peter. We are stopped multiple times by Swiss Guards and members of the Gendarmerie as we walk through Vatican City because of the privacy and exclusivity of the area. But because we are staying at the Domus—a privilege afforded to very few members of the public—we are allowed to pass through.
Throughout our stay at the Domus, I often visit the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica, sometimes alongside other pilgrims. We can access the basilica through a private prayer door located just across the piazza from the Domus. This special entrance is easy for the general public to overlook because of its location and security, and it is also used by dignitaries and diplomats entering the basilica.
When I exit the Domus and walk through the door, I pass through a short tunnel and suddenly find myself standing inside St. Peter’s Basilica, just to the side of the main altar and baldacchino. Sometimes people inside the basilica watch as I enter and cross behind the red rope, wondering and whispering about where I have come from.
The idea of waking up and walking three minutes outside to attend Mass inside St. Peter’s Basilica feels both like a privilege and a gift. I never feel that I can spend enough time inside the basilica, but staying at the Domus gives me the opportunity to go early, visit often, and stay late.
I never know who I might see or meet while staying at the Domus. I might run into one of my favorite bishops or priests in the dining room or pass someone familiar while walking through Vatican City. It is a joy to meet people so close to the heart of the Church and to share in the circumstances that bring each of us to Rome.
The Domus welcomes guests from around the world, and one of my favorite parts of staying there is sitting in the dining room and looking around at the people gathered together. Priests, bishops, religious, and lay people all come to Rome for different reasons, yet we are all on our own pilgrimage through life. Somehow, we each find our way to the center of the Catholic faith at this particular moment.
Come join us this November and experience Domus Santa Marta for yourself. Walk the cobblestone streets of Vatican City, enter St. Peter’s Basilica through the prayer door, walk through the Tunnel of the Bells, and experience the beauty of St. Peter’s just steps from where you stay. Wake up each morning in the heart of the Vatican and walk the same paths that countless popes and saints have walked before us. More than simply a place to stay, Domus Santa Marta becomes part of the pilgrimage—and I would love for you to experience it with us this November.
Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages invites you to join us on an extraordinary adventure of spiritual renewal as we embark on a pilgrimage to Rome in November 2026. To learn more, visit our page Journey to the Face of Christ 2026
