All invited to John Paul beatification – Vatican

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) – The Vatican urged the  faithful today not to let reports of huge crowds or  unscrupulous hoteliers deter them from coming to Rome for the  beatification of the late Pope John Paul on May 1.
“I invite everyone to come. Rome is ready. Don’t be afraid  of coming or of inviting people,” said Father Caesar Atuire.
The Vatican has begun the countdown to what will be the  biggest event in the Italian capital since the death of the  charismatic and highly popular pope in 2005, when millions of  people came to view his body or attend his funeral.
Vatican officials expect at least 300,000 people —  including tens of thousands from his native Poland — to come to  Rome for the three days of events during which he will be  declared a “blessed”, the last step before sainthood.
The Vatican has already warned the faithful to beware of  fraudsters, particularly on the Internet, who are selling  tickets to the beatification ceremony. No tickets will be  necessary for any of the ceremonies.
The star of the Rome events will be Sister Marie  Simon-Pierre, a 49-year-old French nun who is said to have been  miraculously cured of Parkinson’s disease months after John  Paul’s death after she and fellow nuns prayed to him.
Vatican officials told a news conference that they had  stipulated an “ethical pact” with the Rome hoteliers association  in which members promised not to jack up prices for the period  of the events, when rooms are expected to be scarce.
There have been numerous media reports of skyrocketing   prices, particularly in hotels in Rome’s historic centre or in  the Vatican area on the other side of the Tiber River.