Rome expects 50,000 altar boys
Published: Sunday, Jul 28th 2024, 16:10
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In the middle of the main tourist season, Rome is also preparing for the arrival of 50,000 Catholic altar servers. Around 350 girls and boys from Switzerland are also expected to make the pilgrimage to the Italian capital by next Saturday to take part in services in the Catholic Church, according to the "Swiss-German Working Group for Ministrant Pastoral Care" (Damp).
There are also young believers from other European countries such as France, Germany, Ukraine and Austria.
The highlight for the altar boys will be a meeting with Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday evening. Despite temperatures of more than 35 degrees, the Italian capital is currently full of tourists. In 2025 - declared a "Holy Year" by the Pope - up to 40 million visitors are expected.
In his traditional Sunday prayer, the head of the Catholic Church once again called for peace in the world. Francis called the arms industry's business a "scandal". "So many people in the world are suffering from disasters and hunger," said the 87-year-old. "And yet weapons continue to be built, sold and resources burned by fueling wars, big and small."
©Keystone/SDA
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