Tens of thousands of Roman Catholics backed up for blocks at the Vatican on Tuesday for the strictest security checks in living memory as Pope Francis began a Holy Year with a call to set aside "fear and dread"
EDITOR'S NOTE: Let no one fool you, liberals and New World Order types like Obama and Pope Francis are not anti-gun in any way at all. No, they are just against the "common people" like me and you having guns to defend ourselves. There is enough raw firepower guarding both men to start a war in any third world country, yet ironically and hypocritically, they both lobby for an anti-gun society. I guess 'leading by example' is out of the question, hmm...
Pope Francis
launched the year-long religious event, also known as a Jubilee, by pushing open the usually bricked up bronze Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica and passing through it, following a Mass attended by about 70,000 people in the square outside, according to a Vatican estimate.
Holy Year has long been expected to draw millions to Rome but is opening in the immediate aftermath of attacks in Paris and California.
Machine guns, no-fly zone guard Pope Francis opening of Holy Year:
From early morning, police checked pilgrims, reporters, diplomats and even priests entering the area starting several blocks from St. Peter's Square. Some underwent two body and bag searches as they made their way forward before passing through metal detectors.
"The risk of terrorism will never be zero, we cannot provide absolute security, but we are working to attain the level of security that people rightly ask for," Rome police chief Franco Gabrielli said.
A
no-go zone was instituted for vehicles
around the Vatican and rubbish bins sealed or removed. Soldiers augmented regular police for a total security force of around 3000, making the area around the Vatican sometimes seem more like one where a demonstration was expected instead of a religious event.
"Regarding the security, it made me afraid. Those who come here as pilgrims meet the soldiers wearing machine guns, it's scary, you feel threatened," Italian tourist Daniela Santi said.
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