Last year alone, nearly 1.7 million faithful met with the Pope. Meanwhile, this year, over 262,000 people have participated in celebrations, audiences, and the Angelus prayer – not counting the posthumous tribute to the Pope and his funeral ceremonies.
Data released by the Prefecture of the Papal Household shows that the most faithful visited the Vatican in the year of the Holy Father’s election – over 7.3 million of them. This is more than came to Rome even during the Year of Mercy, when nearly 4 million faithful participated in services and meetings with the Pope. However, it should be remembered that to the number of those who participated in papal audiences and celebrations in the Vatican, millions of people who met him during his 47 foreign and 40 domestic apostolic journeys should also be added. A significant context that influenced the number of faithful was also the months-long restrictions related to the pandemic, affecting, among other things, the possibility of travel and gathering. It was for this reason that the World Meeting of Families organized in Rome in 2022 took place with the participation of only a delegation of families from around the world, and not all those who wished to attend.
