Monsignor Eugenio Lira general coordinator of Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico said only 882,225 tickets will be awarded.
BY NOEMÍ GUTIÉRREZ The News MEXICO CITY – To guarantee security during Pope Francis’ visit to Mexico and by request of the Presidential Guard, only 882,225 tickets will be awarded for the planned papal activities, announced Monsignor Eugenio Lira, who is coordinator of the pope’s visit and general secretary of the Mexican Bishops Conference (CEM). Lira said that the tickets have four different security codes, which he did not divulge, as to avoid counterfeit copies. The papal coordinator said that each of the 93 bishops will set criteria for the tickets, which will specify the type of event, day, time, location, zone and a list of prohibited objects. Lira said that there will not be special seating or VIP, but there will be a space for people with disabilities and seniors. For the mass in the Guadalupe Basilica there will be 35,366 available spaces. The mass in Ecatepec will have 300,000 spots. There will be 100,000 tickets for the mass with an indigenous community in San Cristóbal de las Casas and in Tuxtla Gutiérrez there will be 109,199 tickets available to families. In Morelia, there will be 22,000 spots for priests and the religious community and 85,000 spots for young people. In Chihuahua, 3,650 tickets will be given out and in Ciudad Juárez there will be 210,760. During the news conference about the details surrounding the pope’s visit, Lira said that volunteers are still needed in Mexico City. “Only in Mexico City. The other places are covered. It is estimated that close to 100,000 people are still needed,” Lira said. He assured that the three popemobiles are ready and the two airplanes that will transport the pope are already prepared. In a news conference, Twitter representatives said that a series of tools will be available during the pope’s visit, as the pontiff has the second most followers on the social network. Santiago Kuribreña, media director at Twitter Mexico, said that there will be five new emojis available starting Feb. 4, for the pope’s visit. Lira finished by saying that President Enrique Peña Nieto will have a private meeting with the pope.
