Not being there it is not possible to get a true sense of the anticipation in Rome for tomorrow’s historic event, but I find that the various people I follow via Twitter allow me to get at least some taste. Sharing just some examples that appeared in my timeline in the past hours:
Streams of pilgrims from Germany making their way through the Roman subway, which runs all through the night. Photo courtesy of Fr. George Mabura:
Dutch journalist Stijn Fens shares this photo of people queueing to get onto St. Peter’s Square, five hours before it opens:
People asleep in Santo Spirito Church, again courtesy of Fr. Mabura:
Stijn Fens reports that the general atmosphere is similar to when Pope John Paul II died.
Journalist Peter Smith shares this photo of seminarian Tom Schluep and Bishop David Zubik of Pittsburgh, ready for the canonisations:
Salt + Light offers another look at pilgrims waiting in the Via Della Conciliazione as night falls over Rome:
The streets were no less crowded earlier in the day, as this photo by Michael Kelly shows:
A refuge for rainsoaked people, the Church of the Frisians, in this photo by Fr. Michel Remery:
An empty St. Peter’s Square, cleared for the final preparations, in this photo by Fr. Manuel Dorantes:
Also, make sure to follow Father Roderick’s Youtube channel for short videos from Rome in the last days before the canonisations, and Fr. Robert Barron’s Word From Rome videos.
In Caelo et in Terra 