When facing the altar in Saint Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, which direction would one be facing?

Question

North, South, East, or West?

Answer 1

Actually St Peters altar geographically faces west which is one of the reason the celebrant standing must stand behind the altar in order to face east.......

Because of topographical circumstances, it turned out that Saint Peter's faced west. Thus, if the celebrating priest wanted -- as the Christian tradition of prayer demands -- to face east, he had to stand behind the people and look -- this is the logical conclusion -- toward the people. For whatever reason it was done, one can also see this arrangement in a whole series of church buildings within Saint Peter's direct sphere of influence.~Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger(now Benedict XVI) in The Altar and Direction of Liturgical Prayer.

There is no one direction a Catholic altar faces as churches are built on all different axis'. However they always look liturgically east. Meaning east of the altar is the tabernacle where the consecrated Eucharist (the body of Christ is kept.)

Answer 2

You could face all directions since the main altar (the one under the Bernini canopy) is in the center of the church under the dome.

The front doors of the church are on the east side of the building. So if you stood behind the altar looking towards the front of the church, you would face east.

Answer 3

Towards Mecca.

Answer 4

It *should* be east. Don't have a map though.