Thursday, November 17, 2016

Vatican official estimates 1 billion may have participated in Jubilee Year events

Image result for Year of MercyThe Vatican official responsible for planning events in Rome for the Year of Mercy has suggested that as many as 1 billion people may have participated in Jubilee observances worldwide.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the president of the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization, said that over 20 million people have been registered for events in Rome during the Jubilee Year. 

But because Pope Francis encouraged events and observances in every diocese—with Holy Doors in every diocese, for example—the archbishop speculated that overall participation could be much higher.

The Vatican has kept an account of the number of people passing through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s basilica, and provided estimates of the crowds at other Jubilee events. 

No statistics have been kept, however, for participation worldwide.