It’s D-Day for Pope Francis in Marseille. The Holy Father is due to go there this Friday afternoon for a highly anticipated visit to the Marseille city. An exceptional visit in a context of major events for France and Marseille. And the authorities have thought big in terms of security measures.
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Pope Francis comes to close the Mediterranean Meetings. This is the sovereign pontiff’s first visit to Marseille, and he will be welcomed in the middle of the afternoon by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, before going to the Notre-Dame de la Garde church, the “Good Mother” of Marseillais, reports our correspondent, Matthew Limongi.
The basilica, built on top of a hill, overlooks Marseille. The sacristy was repainted in case the pope needed to rest there and the crypt arranged if the weather prevented the prayer planned outside. No detail was left to chance as told to us Marie CasadebaigRFI special correspondent in Marseille.
Security, guest list, preparation of an exhibition… with his team, Father Spinosa has been working on this event for five months, to best respect the Vatican’s specifications.
Notre-Dame de la Garde: Father Olivier Spinosa has not walked for days… He is running so that everything is ready for the visit of Pope Francis
There, the pope will participate in a prayer in the presence of a few hundred guests, mostly religious. Francis will then pay his respects at the stele of sailors and migrants who died at sea, before giving a speech in tribute to those who died in the Mediterranean.
A historic visit largely devoted on this first day to the migration issue, before tomorrow a meeting with the faithful aboard his popemobile then the celebration of a giant mass at the velodrome stadium where nearly 60,000 faithful are expected. A mass which President Macron will attend.
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In Marseille, not in France
The Vélodrome, an anthill where some 3,500 people including 2,300 volunteers have been working since Thursday evening to transform this sports venue on time into a place of worship, a major challenge. The anthill is also in the streets, because since yesterday already, we have felt the little music, the fervor, the excitement rising… We meet people, many young people, faithful people from all over Europe. More than 100,000 people are expected this weekend.
An effervescence that we also find among the people of Marseillais who proudly take up the words of the Pope: Francis who “ does not come to France, but to Marseille! » Because this is not a state visit. Pope Francis wanted to make this clear. Since the start of his pontificate, in 2013, he has favored, in his own words, “ peripheries of the world », in Europe, small countries rather than big powers. It is therefore a symbolic city that the Pope chose to visit: Marseille, a multicultural and multifaith citya border town on the shores of the Mediterranean.
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A security challenge
The Rugby World Cup matches (including the one won last night by France against Namibia), the visit of King Charles III which coincides with that of the Pope… so many challenges in terms of security. A busy month of September, admitted Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, visiting Marseille last week. “ We must pay attention to these conjunctions of great events… “. Gerald Darmanin for whom the pope’s visit was a ” priority “.
Major resources were deployed in Marseille to ensure the smooth running of events, something never seen before according to local authorities. “ We have mobilized 5,000 police officers and gendarmes for the two days of His Holiness’s visit to Marseille, a thousand private security agents… And I myself, during these two days, I will be in Marseille to observe the work law enforcement. »
Add to that permanent checks of air force planes throughout the duration of the pope’s visit. A large-scale device linked to the fear of a terrorist event, which surprised even the Vatican.
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