1 million expected for JPII's beatification

1 million expected for JPII’s beatification

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

The second miracle John Paul needs to become a saint may be lying in wait in Rome: that is to find a room during his beatification.

Predictions of upward of 1 million people pouring into Rome for the May1 event has seen the price of accommodation skyrocket. Rev Gregory Apparcel, rector of the Santa Susanna church, home to many U.S. expat Catholics in Rome says, “At this point, if you don’t have a hotel room, don’t come”.

Compounding the accommodation issue is there are no visitor tickets to the event as the Vatican decided it will be on a first come, first served basis. Mayor Gianni Alemanno has asked Rome to show its best side for three days.

The ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica will also be shown on giant screens in churches around Rome and along the River Tiber running through the city center.

Last week the remains of Pope Innocent XI were moved from the altar in the Chapel of St. Sebastian to make way for the soon-to-be beatified Pope John Paul II, reports the Catholic News Agency.

Pope John Paul II is presently buried in the crypt below the basilica’s high altar. His body will be transferred following his beatification on May 1.

“This is the place where Blessed John Paul II will go because it is a particularly suitable chapel,” said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi. “It’s quite near to the entrance of the basilica and just next to (Michelangelo’s) Pieta.”

Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the senior Italian cleric in charge of St Peter’s, presided over the brief ceremony on Friday to move the body of Pope Innocent. The service included a candle-lit procession during which the names of all the popes who’ve become saints were intoned.

The remains of the 17th century pope were transferred to the basilica’s Altar of the Transfiguration. The altar sits to the left of the high altar, which is overshadowed by a marble statue of St Andrew the Apostle.

The translation of Pope John Paul’s coffin will also take place in private. The public, however, will be able to venerate the newly beatified Pope beginning from the afternoon of May 1 onwards.

In preparation for the beatification, the Vatican has paved the way for