2001: MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF MILLION FAITHFUL MET POPE

VATICAN CITY, JAN 3, 2002 (VIS) - The Prefecture of the Pontifical Household has made public a communique announcing that, in the year 2001, 2,558,300 faithful participated at meetings with the Pope in Rome.

During the last 12 months, 550,000 people took part in the 43 Wednesday general audiences; 218,300 in special audiences; 980,000 in liturgical celebrations and 810,000 in the angelus.

October saw the greatest participation in general audiences, with a total of 93,000; the same month also saw the greatest number of participants at special audiences, 50,500. April - the month in which Holy Week fell - had the highest number of participants at liturgical celebrations, 307,000 and December saw the greatest number of faithful united for the angelus, with a total of 230,000.

PD;STATISTICS 2001;...;...;VIS;20020103;Word: 120;