Jubilee pilgrims go over 11-mn mark

(ANSA) - Vatican City, July 8 - Pilgrims to Rome for the Jubilee of Mercy have passed the 11-million mark exactly seven months after the start of the Holy Year, according to the official website of the Holy Year proclaimed by Pope Francis, a site managed by the Pontifical Council for New Evangelisation. The pilgrims had passed the 10-million mark on June 22.
    Some 11,099,422 participants have now come to Rome for Jubilee events and to enter the Holy Door at St Peter's, it said. On April 22 Jubilee pilgrims passed the five-million mark, so there has been a big increase in the rate of arrivals over the last two and a half months.
    Pilgrim numbers were initially below expectations, partly because of terror attacks in Paris and Brussels. The Jubilee started on December 8 and runs till November 20.