Special security for Pope’s visit

Thursday, 18 December 2014 00:43 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A special security plan is to be put in place for the visit to Sri Lanka by Pope Francis next month, police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana announced yesterday. He said that this would include a traffic plan for vehicles entering the Galle Face area where the Pope will hold a mass on 14 January. Pope turns 78

Pope Francis, whose 78th birthday fell yesterday, waves as he leaves at the end of his general audience in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican, 17 December - Reuters SSP Ajith Rohana said that five routes will be identified as the routes to be used by people looking to attend the Galle Face mass and further details will be made available within a week. The police spokesman urged the public attending the mass to use public transport to arrive at the location as there would be limited space to park private vehicles. Pope Francis will arrive in Sri Lanka on 13 January 2015 and will be accorded a state welcome at the Katunayake airport. The Pope will later be driven in an open vehicle from Negombo to Colombo for the public to greet him and that evening he will pay a courtesy call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa. A special stamp is to be issued by the President to mark the occasion of the Pope’s visit to Sri Lanka. Pope Francis will meet multi-religious leaders at the BMICH that evening and the next day (14 January) he will hold a mass at Galle Face green, during which the Blessed Joseph Vaz will also be made a Saint. On the evening of 14 January, the Pope will visit Madhu and will meet Mannar Bishop Rayappu Joseph and also attend a special mass at the historic Madhu church. (Colombo Gazette)