“Rome is ready”

Not only the extended range of magnets with the likeness of John Paul II. in the Roman souvenir stores points out – millions of Catholics all over the world expect the beatification of John Paul II. on 1. May.

At the push of a button, the familiar voice of John Paul II fills the air. the interior of San Stanislao, the national church of the Poles in Rome. Every Thursday evening, Polish Catholics gather here, in the small church near the Piazza Venezia, to hear an address by their deceased compatriot during Mass. The old CD player playing the recordings itself seems like a technical relic of this pontificate. With the series of sermons, the Polish community is preparing for the event that millions of Catholics around the world are awaiting with joy and excitement: the beatification of John Paul II. on 1. May.

Pilgrimage season under the sign of John Paul II.
The extended range of plates, key rings and T-shirts with the portrait of John Paul II also points to this date. in the souvenir stores. "This pilgrimage season is all about the blessed pope," says a souvenir dealer near St. Peter's Square. So far, however, only a few devotional objects, such as rosaries, have been given the title "beatified". "Replacing the medallion is quite easy," a vendor explains the quick changeover. Some publishers and book authors also seem to have sensed big business: Almost weekly, companions and journalists present new publications about the Pope from Poland. In the displays of bookstores you can find youth poems by Karol Wojtyla, booklets with the Pope's prayers for 365 days a year, or marriage guides with the title "The role of sexuality after John Paul II".".

However, the upcoming beatification also calls fraudsters to the scene. The Prefecture of the Papal Household warned back in February against sellers of supposed admission tickets, stressing that tickets were not required to attend the ceremony in St. Peter's Square. The motto for admission is "first come, first served," explained Caesar Atuire, executive director of the Roman Pilgrimage Society. The institution offers the so-called "JPII Pass" for 18 euros, which allows free use of public transport for three days and includes a packed lunch and extensive information material.

Beatification: admission is at 5.30 o'clock at St. Peter's Square
Renata, who is Polish, also wants to set off early with her colleagues in order to be at the 1. May at the beginning of the admission at 5.30 p.m. to be in front of St. Peter's Square. The woman in her mid-fifties, who has worked in Rome for twelve years, fears a crowd similar to that which attended John Paul II's funeral services. in April 2005, to which three million visitors had travelled at the time. At the moment, the organizers are expecting "only" 300 participants.000 pilgrims. In the short term, however, their number could rise to as many as one million.

From German-speaking countries, according to the German Pilgrimage Center, so far only individual travelers have registered, as well as some smaller groups. Some are apparently put off by the expected mass attendance. "Is it even worth coming?", callers have frequently asked in recent weeks, reports the center's director, Antonio Tedesco. In any case, Rome is ready to receive all those who want to participate in the beatification. According to the city, about 20 percent of the hotel beds are currently still vacant. To keep traffic chaos to a minimum, the subway will operate 22 hours a day.

Six large screens show the ceremony
Those who can't make it to St. Peter's Square will have the opportunity to watch the event elsewhere in the Eternal City: The faithful will be able to watch the ceremony on six large screens near St. Peter's Square, as well as at Circus Maximus, where the great vigil celebration will take place the night before. Immediately following the beatification, the coffin of John Paul II. The statue is placed in front of the papal altar in St. Peter's Basilica for veneration. As long as believers stream into the basilica, the place of worship should remain open.

The following day, Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone celebrates a Mass of thanksgiving in the Vatican. Then the coffin is transferred to its final place in the Sebastian Chapel in the right aisle of the basilica.

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Christina Cherry
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