2.5 mn gathered in Rome to see pope in 2011

More than 2.5 million people last year participated in gatherings in Rome attended by Pope Benedict XVI, the Vatican has said.

During 2011, a total of 2,553,800 people participated in various meetings with Benedict XVI including general audiences (400,000), private audiences (101,800), liturgical celebrations (846,000), and morning and evening prayers (1,206,000), it said.

The statistics include only events held at the Vatican or the pope's summer retreat in Castelgandolfo near Rome, according to the statement.

The estimated number -- based on distributed and requested tickets -- does not include attendance at events held elsewhere in Italy and abroad.

The Vatican said the attendance showed an increase 'with respect to the last three years'. It, however, did not provide any comparative data.

--IANS/AKI

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Source: http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=202344146

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