Rimini is gearing up for the visit of Pope Leo XIV with an imposing security operation. On Saturday, more than 500 uniformed officers will be deployed between Pennabilli and the city centre, involving the police, carabinieri, the financial police (Guardia di Finanza), the coast guard and the fire brigade.
The plan was drawn up during meetings coordinated by the prefect, Giuseppina Cassone, and also includes the arrival of reinforcements and special units from the Interior Ministry. In recent days, inspections have already taken place at the Fiera exhibition centre, the Cathedral, the port area and along the streets that will be travelled by the Pontiff.
Particular attention will be paid to the port, where the closing Mass is scheduled for 6:30 pm. The area will become a red zone, with tighter controls and the presence of sharpshooters. Before the Pope’s arrival, bomb disposal experts and specialists will carry out sweeps of the areas involved in the events.
The day will begin in the Rimini area with a stop in Pennabilli, where Leo XIV will arrive by helicopter around 1 pm after spending the morning in San Marino. There he will visit the Augustinian nuns of the Convent of Sant’Antonio and have lunch with them.
In the early afternoon, the Pontiff will then head to the Rimini Fiera exhibition centre, where he is expected around 2:45 pm for the meeting at the Meeting. At 5:30 pm he will be at the Cathedral to meet the sick, disabled people and those in difficulty, before transferring by popemobile to the port.
All the streets affected by the Pope’s movements will be closed to traffic. On the traffic management front, Rimini’s local police will deploy around 90 officers, supported by civil protection volunteers, stewards and reinforcements from neighbouring municipalities.
An imposing organisational machine for a day considered to be of exceptional significance in terms of public order and crowd management, with thousands of people expected across the various locations of the visit.
