“It is very important to make as clear as possible that no tickets
are needed, to attend the beatification of John Paul II”, says Master
of Papal Liturgical Celebrations, monsignor Guido Marini.
The Prefecture of the Papal Household has issued a draft program for the Beatification of John Paul II, May 1st
this year.
Describing it as "a great ecclesial event," the office in
charge of organising audiences and handles ticketing for all papal
events at the Vatican, issued a statement Friday that began “tickets are
not needed to attend the beatification ceremony”.
It
added that no individual or institution can demand payment for improper
deals as has become particularly common on the Internet.
It also
reaffirms that tickets are always free at papal ceremonies and general
audiences.
Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, retired prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints, has also confirmed an initial
estimate of over 2.5 million pilgrims and faithful, from all over the
world, for the ceremony of beatification of John Paul II
The
ceremonies for the beatification have been divided into five phases.
The
first event is an open air vigil of preparation that will take place on
the evening of Saturday, April 30 at the Circus Maximus.
Organized by
the diocese of Rome , it will be led by Cardinal Agostino Vallini, vicar
general for the diocese of Rome.
Pope Benedict XVI will join
spiritually through a live video link.
The second phase is beatification ceremony itself, Sunday, May 1 in St. Peter's Square.
The
celebration, which will be presided by the Holy Father, will begin at
10am. Immediately after the ceremony, the remains of the newly Blessed
will be placed in front of the High Altar in St. Peter's Basilica, for
the veneration of thefaithful.
On Monday, May 2, Secretary of State
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, will preside Mass of thanksgiving at 10:30 am
in St. Peter's Square.
Following this Pope John Paul II’s remains will
be "privately" reinterred in the side chapel of St Sebastian, in St
Peter’s Basilica.
Msgr. Marini, notes, “the beatification
ceremony will have the same characteristics of every beatification
ceremony, so during the Mass there will be the proclamation of the newly
Blessed, and a brief summary of the life of John Paul II will be read.
The Pope will solemnly proclaim the newly Blessed, then there will be
the unveiling of the image, which will hang in front of the Basilica,
from the central balcony, and then also the veneration of a relic that
will be taken at the time. These are the various phases of the rite of
beatification, inserted within the Eucharistic celebration”.
Regarding
the exposition of the coffin of the newly blessed Msgr. Marini adds;
“it was decided as follows: the coffin containing the remains of John
Paul II, suitably embellished – so we cannot see the body of John Paul
II - will be placed in the Basilica, before the High Altar, and access
will be allowed to pilgrims for a brief moment of prayer. We thought to
expose the coffin of the newly Blessed in the Basilica to foster an
atmosphere of meditation and prayer, so that pilgrims can do so as a
proper, authentically religious act”.