Rome celebrates its patron staints St Peter and St Paul on 29 June with a public holiday in the capital during which most shops and offices will be shut. This year, the feast day falls on a Monday so making for a three-day weekend. Traffic on motorways and roads leading out of the capital is likely to be heavy throughout the weekend, particularly in the direction of the seaside.

St Peter and Paul's day also marks the end of the Pauline year begun on 28 June 2008 in celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the apostle Paul's birth.

On 28 June, Pope Benedict XVI will preside over evening vespers at the Basilica of St Paul's-outside-the-Walls leading up to the official year's ending on 29 June at 17.30 with the ceremonial closing of the