2.2 million attended Pope Benedict's public appearances in 2008

December 30, 2008

Just over 2.2 million people attended audiences with Pope Benedict XVI during this calendar year, according to official Vatican statistics. Over 500,000 people attended the Pontiff's regular weekly audiences on Wednesdays, and over a million participated in his Angelus audiences on Sundays; the remainder of the 2.2 million attended private audiences or participated in the liturgical ceremonies at which the Holy Father presided.

The figures for 2008 are down from 2007, when 2.8 attended papal audiences, and significantly down from the all-time high in 2006, when 3.2 million saw Pope Benedict's public appearances. The figure of 2.2 million this year matches the number that attended appearances of the late Pope John Paul II in 2004, the last full year of his pontificate.

The Vatican released the final statistics for the year on December 30 because Pope Benedict has not scheduled any more public appearances for the calendar year. Traditional year-end ceremonies, including the chanting of the Te Deum in thanksgiving for the blessings of the passing year, will supersede the regular Wednesday audience for December 31.

 

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Further information:

• More than 2 million in functions with Pope