In recent times, we have analyzed in detail the ways to request the Apostolic Blessing of the Pope, from Birthdays to Presbyteral Ordination.
Let’s take a step back, however, and recall what this particular Blessing consists of. Authorized by Pope Leo XIII (who went down in history thanks to the Rerum Novarum encyclical) and entrusted to the care of the Office of Papal Charities, the Apostolic Blessing of the Pontiff grants a plenary indulgence to the petitioners.
Obviously, this special type of grace can only be obtained under certain conditions (here is the complete list). Among these, there is also the Religious Profession.
What is Religious Profession?
By Religious Profession, we mean the (formal) act through which a person consecrates themselves to God by embracing one of the various institutes approved by the Church, accompanied by the pronouncement of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience. To these oaths, different institutes add specific vows. For example, the Hospitaller Brothers (Fatebenefratelli) pronounce a vow of assistance to the sick, while the Jesuits swear special obedience to the Supreme Pontiff.
How to request it
If you have decided to give a special gift to your friends or relatives who are consecrating themselves to God, here are the procedures to follow:
- Direct request at the Vatican: In case you wish to carry out the process in person, without intermediaries, you simply need to go to the Offices of the Office of Papal Charities at the Sant’Anna Entrance. Opening hours are from 8:30 am to 11:30 am (from Monday to Saturday);
- Online: The digital procedure remains one of the fastest ways to request the Pope’s Apostolic Blessing. In fact, by visiting the official website, you simply need to follow the guided procedure to submit your application;
- By Letter or Fax: If you prefer to submit your request via these methods, you only need to include the following information:
- Full name of the applicant;
- Full name of the recipient of the Blessing;
- Reason for which it is requested;
- Date, name of the Church, and location where the Sacrament took place;
- Address to which the diploma should be sent and the corresponding payment amount.
Forwarding everything to:
Elemosiniera ApostolicaUfficio Pergamene00120 Vatican City
Or to the Telefax number (active 24 hours a day): (+39) 06.69883132
Costs
The Pope’s Apostolic Blessing does not have a fixed cost. In fact, the required payment is linked to the activities of the Office of Papal Charities (Elemosineria Apostolica), which has always supported the poor and needy in every part of the world.
In any case, the total cost of the Parchment is composed of:
- The price of the Parchment (from 13 to 25 euros, depending on the chosen model);
- shipping costs (7 euros via ordinary mail or 13 euros for delivery via DHL courier).
