Vatican, Rome gear up for canonizations of John XXIII, John Paul II By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Just over five weeks before the canonizations of Blesseds John XXIII and John Paul II, Rome hotels are reporting they are almost fully booked and the Vatican has confirmed the Mass will take place in St. Peters Square, despite knowing that hundreds of thousands of people will have to watch the ceremony on large video screens. Pope Francis had announced in late September that he would proclaim the two popes saints in a single ceremony April 27, Divine Mercy Sunday. Less than two weeks after the date was announced, the Prefecture of the Papal Household issued an advisory that access to St. Peters Square would be first-come, first-served and warned pilgrims that unscrupulous tour operators already were trying to sell fake tickets to the Mass. With perhaps more than 1 million people expected to try to attend the liturgy, rumors abounded that the Vatican would move the ceremony to a wide-open space on the outskirts of town. But the Vatican confirmed Feb. 27 that the Mass would be held in St. Peters Square, just outside the basilica where the mortal remains of the two rest.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:06:34 +0000
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