Vatican police chief predicts ‘no security issues’ for Pope, pilgrims at World Youth Day
July 02, 2013
The commander of the Vatican’s security force has joined World Youth Day staff in expressing confidence in security preparations for World Youth Day.
World Youth Day will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s second-largest city, from July 23 to 28. Hundreds of protests, most of them peaceful, have taken place across the nation in recent weeks.
“I think that there will not be any safety issues, whether for the Pope or for those in attendance, as we are studying everything down to the smallest details, to all of the minutiae,” said Domenico Giani, commander of the Corps of Gendarmerie of Vatican City.
“The protesters themselves are insisting that there be no violence,” said Auxiliary Bishop Leonardo Steiner of Brasilia, secretary general of the Brazilian bishops’ conference, following a meeting with President Dilma Rousseff.
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Further information:
- Optimism for peaceful WYD Rio 2013 (Vatican Radio)
- Brazil protesters give Rousseff tenuous truce (Boston Globe)
- Brazilian unrest will not affect WYD, organizer assures (CWN, 6/20)
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