Over 3 million attended Pope Benedict's public meetings in 2006
(Dec. 30, 2006) Vatican had released figures of the Pope’s public meetings during
the year 2006, saying more than three million faithful participated in them, either
in the Vatican or at his summer residence of Castelgandolfo. According to the Prefecture
of the Pontifical Household, a total of 3,222,820 people attended the Wednesday general
audiences, special audiences, liturgical celebrations and Sunday Angelus prayers during
the course of the year. The Wednesday general audiences, held in St. Peter's Square
and the Paul VI Hall, attracted 1,031,500 people. This figure reflects the number
of tickets distributed, and does not take into account the thousands of faithful who
arrive without tickets and also participate. The Angelus prayers of 2006 drew a total
of 1,295,000 people to St. Peter's Square, while more than half a million attended
the various liturgical ceremonies presided by the Holy Father, 196,000 in April alone.