“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”. Listen: