VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- The latest statistics, produced by Italian authorities as the Jubilee year closes, shows a sharp rise in the number of people visiting Rome during the year.

    Some 24.5 million people came to Rome in 2000, the figures show. That is an increase of 23 percent over the previous year. And since many "ordinary" tourists reportedly postponed their plans to visit until after the Jubilee, in order to avoid the unusual crowds, the increase in the number of people traveling to the Vatican-- to make their own pilgrimages or to attend the 3,400 special religious ceremonies organized for the Jubilee year-- was still more pronounced.

    Rome's Mayor Francesco Rutelli pronounced the Jubilee a "complete success" from the perspective of the city. The celebration produced 74,000 jobs for the city, he noted. And he said that "this holy year will be remembered for the efficiency that was demonstrated." He said the success was due to "the positive response of the Roman people" to the influx of pilgrims.

    The Italian daily La Reppubblica agreed with Mayor Rutelli, praising Rome for its handling of the pilgrims. And Bishop Crescenzio Sepe, the secretary of the Vatican committee that coordinated the Jubilee, added his voice to the chorus of praise, saying that Rome's welcome had been "irreproachable."

For other news stories, see

January 7, 2001
volume 12, no. 7
News from the Vatican

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