How to send a letter to the Pope
How to send a letter to the Pope
The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church and the universal pastor who has taken over from Peter in responding to the singular call by Christ to “take care of my flock.”
The Pope is usually busy, but this does not mean you cannot write to him; he has been known to respond to people personally, even calling them up on the phone! Pope Francis is down-to-earth, and from what I can see, it seems like he would have loved to talk to each person individually. Since this is not possible, it’s going to be a long shot since there’d likely be lots of mail screened out. So, what if you can be one of the lucky ones who got to speak to him? It might be worth the try, if you think so, here’s how to reach him:
The Mailing Address
The website for the US Embassy to the Holy See recommends that mail for Pope Francis be sent to this address:
His Holiness, Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City
Remember that Italy or Rome are not necessary since Vatican City is a sovereign state; it is its own country.
However, since the Pope is living in the Casa Santa Martha instead of the papal apartments, you could modify by trying this:
His Holiness, Pope Francis
Saint Martha House
00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
Another thing is to be sure to use the correct postage. If you are not sure what you need, do ask your local office. If you are sending from the United States, check out this online calculator to estimate the required postage.
The Letter
Just a tip on how to make a good impact; remember they get a lot of mails. So if you do not want yours to be thrown away, not that following these is any guarantee, but.
We think your letter needs to reflect three things: respect for the Holy Father, the office he occupies, personal honesty, and most importantly, brevity. We do not think the Pope will receive any long mails; if I were the one proofreading before sending to him, I might get tired halfway and not even consider delivering to him. So be nice, be honest and be brief.
Remember to leave a return address and your phone number. Maybe you will get a phone call! We know you might not, but it’s good to dream, no?
Good luck!
