Over 2 million people attended papal events in Vatican 2009

(January 5, 2010) Over 2 million 200 thousand faithful and pilgrims participated in meetings with Pope Benedict XVI during the course of 2009, according to estimates by the Vatican. The approximate figures were furnished by the Prefecture of the Pontifical Household that coordinates and organizes private, special and general audiences of the Pope both in Vatican City and at the papal summer residence of Castelgandolfo, just outside Rome. According to the Pontifical Household, 537,500 attended the 44 general audiences of the year, while over 1,120,000 prayed the midday ‘Angelus’ with the Pope. 115,600 attended special audiences of the Pope and 470,800 participated in the Holy Father’s liturgical events. Overall a total of 2,243,900 people attended the papal events in 2009. Figures of other events in Italy and abroad such as the Pope’s visit to Africa, the Holy Land and the Czech Republic have not been included in this.