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Turin, 8 October 2000 During the week between Monday 2 and Sunday 8 October, 145.998 pilgrims walked before the Shroud. 734.107 pilgrims have come to see the Exposition since its opening, and, in addition, we should also consider about 178.000 people more, who entered the Duomo through its main entrance to see the Shroud from afar. 145.211 people are expected to visit the Exposition of the Shroud next week, although we should remember that many reservations are usually made last minute. 973.634 reservations have been made until 4 pm of 8 October, for the whole period of the Exposition, while 68.775 reservations were made in the week from 2 and 8 October.
OVER A HUNDRED THOUSANDS FOREIGNERS IN TURIN On 3 October, in the morning, we reached the number of a hundred thousands of bookings made by foreign visitors. By 4 p.m., we had registered 100.824 reservations from 163 countries of the world, 10% of the total number of visitors. 73.858 foreigners came to see the linen before 3 October. During the Exposition of 1998 foreign visitors were 58.829, from 67 countries. We should add to this number 5.000 foreign students who went to see the Shroud on their way to the youth meeting in Rome, and whose reservations were made by their Italian hosts (parishes and associations). The youth meeting had a remarkable effect on the number of registrations by foreign visitors. In the first two weeks of august pilgrims coming from abroad (mostly young people) were 23.883, 19,7% of the total. The most numerous groups of foreign visitors were from: France (23.013)
If compared to the Exposition of 1998, the largest increase in the number of foreign visitors was recorded by pilgrims from Eastern Europe (21.836 reservations in total), with a of 9.891 visitors form Poland. For the majority groups are organized by the dioceses or parishes. The average number of visitors per reservation made from an Eastern European country is 16. Pilgrims coming from African countries (18 people per reservation) and from Spain (17) usually arrive in large groups, while American (about 4 people per reservation) and English (3) visitors come with their family. The largest groups are usually from Egypt (an average of 38 people at the time), Hungary (25) and Slovak Republic (24) while, among the others, we notice small groups from Cuba (6 reservations for a total of 18 visitors) and China (28 reservations for 78 visitors). There have been a remarkable rising in the number of visitors from Israel. Only 9 of them came to visit the Exposition of 1998. This year there have been more than 2000 reservations. As for Americans and Australians (their number also rose from 142 to 1200) their reservations are mainly made by tour operators who plan their staying in Turin during a tour that includes other Italian cities, for the Jubilee. And finally there are pilgrims coming from very far away countries: one from each of these countries: Aruba, Bangladesh, Belarus, Guadeloupe, Dutch Guyana, Faroe Island, Mali, Namibia, San Pierre, Senegal, Sudan and Togo; two from Dutch Antilles, Ivory Coast, Granada, Portuguese Guinea, Haiti, Marian Islands and Madagascar.
Comitato per l’Ostensione solenne della Sindone e per l'anno
giubilare 2000 |
