Sky to broadcast canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, presided over by Pope Francis live from St. Peter’s square
TX: Sunday April 27 from 8.30am GMT on Sky 3D and 2D on Sky Arts
For the first time in history, the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II will be broadcast live in 3D on Sky 3D this April, and in 2D on Sky Arts.
The ceremony will be broadcast in full, without ad breaks for the duration. It will also be broadcast in Italy and Germany on Sky Italia, and Sky Deutschland, as part of an international co-production alongside the Vatican Television Center (CTV).
With an estimated half a million people to attend, the 3D experience will provide audiences with an unprecedented and exclusive perspective of Pope Francis and of St. Peter’s Square, using 13 state-of-the-art 3D cameras. The ceremony will also be beamed into cinemas 80 cinemas across Europe, offering free tickets to audiences.
Sophie Turner Laing, MD, Content at Sky, comments: “At Sky, we believe in bringing our customers groundbreaking TV that they are passionate about. We can think of no better fit than this momentous occasion, in what we are sure will be a stunning combination of time honoured tradition and cutting edge technology. We are truly delighted to partner with Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland to bring this global exclusive to people across Europe in 3D.”
In addition to cinemas, a special screening will be held at Sotto il Monte, the village in the province of Bergamo which was the birthplace of Angelo Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII: in a space granted by the municipality. Sky - in collaboration with Sony and the town council itself – will provide live 3D coverage, which is expected to be attended by over a thousand people from the village and the surrounding towns.
Coverage on Sky will commence from 8.30am GMT, and will be hosted by Sky News presenters Colin Brazier and Alastair Bruce, who will provide analyses and explanation on proceedings. Live coverage will come from the Braccio di Carlo Magno, an exclusive terrace in St. Peter’s Square, in presence of Italian and international guests. The Mass is due to start at 9am GMT, and will be presided over by Pope Francis: the Pope will make his entrance and celebrate a special Mass where he will proclaim his two predecessors, Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II “saints”.
The 3D coverage is an international co-production by Centro Televisivo Vaticano, in collaboration with Sky Italia, BSkyB and Sky Deutschland.
Notes to editor
For more information please contact:
Manisha Ferdinand
Head of PR, Sky Arts and Sky 3D
T: +44 7824 433 269
E: Manisha.ferdinand@bskyb.com
Isabella Ferrili
Sky Italia
E: isabella.ferilli@skytv.it
Niamh McCarrick
Communications Manager, Sky Ireland
T: +353 (0)86 3809191
E: niamh.mccarrick@bskyb.com
About the Canonization
Pope John XXIII (Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli), the "Good Pope", was born in Sotto il Monte (BG) on November 25, 1881. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on September 3, 2000. In his beatification homily, Pope John XXIII described him as "the Pope who impressed the world with his natural friendliness, from which the remarkable goodness of his soul radiated." In less than five years of his pontificate, "Pope John" had won everyone’s heart, thanks to the simplicity of his actions and his words.
John Paul II (Karol Jozef Wojtyla), was beatified little more than six years after his death. Pope Benedict XVI set the date of his liturgical memorial on October 22. In his homily during the beatification ceremony, Ratzinger said that from the very day of his death "we perceived the fragrance of his sanctity, and in any number of ways God’s People showed their veneration for him. For this reason, with all due respect for the Church’s canonical norms, I wanted his cause of beatification to move forward with reasonable haste. And now the longed-for day has come; it came quickly because this is what was pleasing to the Lord: John Paul II is beatified!”
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