Pope’s jubilee plans raise fears of terror threat

The Washington Post explains…

Pope Francis’ announcement of an Extraordinary Jubilee Year beginning in December has prompted Italian officials to reassess potential threats from Islamic State militants. The pontiff declared that the holy festival’s theme would be mercy, a cornerstone of his papacy, and the news has been met with enthusiasm by Catholics worldwide. 

The Islamic State has made its intentions clear, with images on the internet depicting their black flag flying over St. Peter’s Basilica. This has raised concerns among Italians that jihadists may attempt to enter the country via the many migrant vessels arriving from the Middle East.

Pope Francis’ announcement of a holy year could prove to be a security challenge for Italian authorities. In 2000, the holy year overseen by Pope John Paul II brought 25 million Roman Catholics to Rome, with pilgrims camping around the city. Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano stated on Sunday that a decision will soon be made on whether the 5,000 police officers currently guarding the Milan Expo, which ends in October, will be sent to Rome for the holy festival celebrations. Intelligence experts have suggested that a lone terrorist, radicalized in Italy, is a more probable threat than any individual entering the country by ship.

In response to the papal announcement, Italy’s Interior Minister Angelino Alfano has stated that the terrorist threat will be re-examined and re-evaluated. This comes after Father Silvano Tomasi, the Vatican’s ambassador in Geneva, advocated for the use of force against Islamic State jihadists if a political solution could not be negotiated. This stance is an extremely rare one for the Roman Catholic Church. 

The last extraordinary jubilee was called in 1983 by John Paul II to celebrate 1,950 years since Jesus Christ’s redemption. Rome Mayor Ignazio Marino has declared that the city will be ready for the challenge of the holy year, despite having only a few months to prepare for the millions of visitors expected. In comparison, authorities had four years to prepare for the 2000 holy year.

Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, has predicted that the upcoming holy year will be more modest than the 2000 celebrations. Speaking to the London Times, Lombardi said: “That was the millennium, the pope had talked about it for years, there were many events, and huge preparation. This year has to be seen as more of a spiritual exercise.” Luigi Zanda, an Italian senator who was involved in organizing the 2000 celebrations, has warned that this year could prove to be even more popular due to the “huge attraction of Pope Francis” and the increased ease of travel.

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