Two Popemobiles for Francis’s visit
THE Vatican will ship two Popemobiles to Ireland for the Pontiff’s visit in August, the Irish Daily Mail can reveal.
One bullet-proof vehicle will be sent to Knock in Co. Mayo and the other will be dispatched to Dublin.
Senior security sources told the Mail it was ‘standard protocol’ for the Pontiff to be transported through crowds in the Vatican’s own Popemobiles.
‘We are taking the security operation for this visit in both Dublin and Mayo extremely seriously,’ said one source.
‘The Popemobiles are fitted with bulletproof glass and it is how the Pope is always transported on such stately visits.’
Knock parish priest Fr Richard Gibbons said yesterday that preparations for the visit were in ‘full swing’. ‘When Pope Francis lands at Knock Airport he will be driven by motorcade to Knock Basilica,’ he said. ‘The road will be closed off and Pope Francis will be driven to the back of the Basilica, where he will swap into the Popemobile.
‘We’ve gone from first gear to sixth’
‘He will then be seen by the expected 45,000 people and will be driven through to the chapel.’
Fr Gibbons added that ‘people will be able to see him as he is driven to the chapel for the private prayer’, explaining: ‘Pope Francis will have private prayer inside the Apparition Chapel which links in with the World Meeting of Families celebration, and that is very important.
‘He will come out and say the public Angelus with the people.’
Fr Gibbons said two Popemobiles will be needed, adding: ‘The logistics of the visit are fairly intricate and since we only got confirmation that Pope Francis will visit Knock Shrine, we have had to go from first gear to sixth gear, immediately, but it’s all very exciting.
‘We will be busy as ticketing starts [today], and we expect a lot of interest as Knock will be the smaller venue. We have been working closely with the local community as they are very excited to welcome Pope Francis.’
Tickets for the Pope’s visit to Knock and Dublin’s Phoenix Park go on release this morning. As many as 45,000 free tickets are available for the Knock event, taking place on the morning of August 26. A further 500,000 have been allocated for the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families in the Phoenix Park later that day.