pilgrims gather in rome for pope john paul ii beatification

from abc13: Thousands of people came to a prayer vigil Saturday night at Circus Maximus, just a few miles from the Vatican, showing that Pope John Paul II can unite the masses in death just as he did in life... After the prayer vigil, the city is holding its first white night of prayer to allow pilgrims to pray at eight churches in the center of the city until dawn. The beatification ceremony is the next step toward sainthood for the late pope. The ceremony is set for Sunday.

4/28 pop occulture: royal rituals, sainthood & the new world order

the royal wedding & the new world order*
strange confluence of catholic and royal events continues*
video: secrets of the royal wedding revealed*
guest list includes friends, family - and a few dictators*
princess diana funeral hymn to be sung*
terror alert as security chiefs warn attack is 'highly likely'*
six 'anarchists' arrested ahead of royal ritual*
charlie veitch arrested in pre-crime raid prior to royal ritual*
twilight language: royal dangers?*
weather forecast predicts rain on will & kate's big day*
as royal wedding gears up, ufo's are expected to attend*
religion will play leading role in royal wedding*
dueling blessings: royal wedding vs pope john paul's beatification*
sainthood explained: understanding john paul ii's beatification*
pope john paul ii's blood to be shown at beatification*
abuse crisis fuels debate over john paul ii's legacy*
billboard battle over judgment day*
american atheists vs. may 21, 2011 judgment day*
famed nyc street preacher, author david wilkerson killed in car crash*
'the new corporate world order; religion in american politics'*

kabbalist doctrine explains world events

from pak alert press: The Kabalist Doctrine of Destruction provides a key to understanding world events. According to the Kabbalah, which is the secret doctrine of Judaism and Freemasonry, “Evil and catastrophe [are] endemic factors in the process of creation. Without evil there could be no good, without destruction, creation could not take place.” (Kabbalah: An Introduction to Jewish Mysticism, by Byron L. Sherwin, p. 72.)

israel unveils 'first sin-free yiddish smartphone'

from afp: An Israeli telecoms company is offering ultra-Orthodox Jewish clients a kosher smartphone with Hassidic folk music ringtones and a menu in Yiddish, a newspaper reported on Wednesday. While other firms have tapped into the religious market by offering phones free of Internet access, with no email or access to Facebook which could lead users into temptation, none has so far offered its services in Yiddish, Yediot Aharonot said. "This phone has no text messages, Internet access, Facebook or email. It doesn't even have a camera," said the paper. "And if you call from it on the Sabbath, you will pay an exorbitant price of 10 shekels ($3/2 euros) per minute."

giant statue of amenhotep iii unearthed in egypt

from afp: Archaeologists have discovered a giant statue of Egypt's famous pharaoh Amenhotep III at his mortuary temple in the southern city of Luxor, the antiquities authority said on Tuesday. The 13-metre-tall (43-foot) statue was found buried in seven pieces at the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III at Kom al-Hitan. It was one of two statues placed at the northern entrance of the temple, and was probably destroyed during an earthquake in 27 BC, the antiquities authority statement said. "The archaeological team is now working to clean, restore and collect the seven pieces and find the head of the statue," the statement said. It also said it was hoped the statue's twin would be unearthed soon. Amenhotep III, who ruled Egypt between 1390 and 1352 BC, is the father of Akhenaten, the "heretic pharaoh" considered a precursor of monotheism because he tried to impose the exclusive worship of Aten.

hooded penitents take part in holy week processions in spain

from telegraph: Christian believers around the world celebrate the Holy Week of Easter marking the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Hundreds of processions take place around the clock in Spain, drawing thousands of visitors. The religious fraternities and brotherhoods are responsible for carrying the statues and organising the penitents and musicians. The clothes and hats worn depict the people from Nazareth. Seville, Malaga and Valladolid which are particularly well known for their Holy Week processions.

satya sai baba, indian guru, dies at 84

from bbc: One of India's most revered spiritual leaders, Sri Satya Sai Baba, has died in hospital at the age of 84. Doctors say the guru, who is thought to have millions of followers around the world, died following a cardiac arrest. He had been admitted to hospital in his hometown of Puttaparthi last month, suffering from respiratory problems and kidney failure. He enjoyed support from all areas of Indian society - including Bollywood filmstars and senior politicians. His high-profile followers include former Indian Prime Minster Atal Behari Vajpayee and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. Many devotees considered him a living god, and credited him with mystical powers including the ability to conjure objects out of the air. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described his death as an "irreparable loss... He was a spiritual leader who inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life even as they followed the religion of their choice," said Mr Singh.

we all know the story of the crucifixion...

but how much is myth - and how much brutal reality?
from dailymail: The description of Jesus’s triumphal, palm-strewn procession into Jerusalem, his clash with Pontius Pilate and the Temple authorities, his agonised prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, his arrest by Roman guards, his torture, trial, Crucifixion and Resurrection is the most important Christian story of all.

Its power as a parable of suffering, sacrifice and transcendence is peerless, and this explains its extraordinary hold on billions of people all over the world.

Yet we don’t really know what happened when Christ was crucified. How can we separate myth from fact? How closely can we rely on the Bible’s account of those few days 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem? These are questions that have fascinated me over the many years I worked on my biography of the Holy City.

With perfect timing, film-maker Simcha Jacobovici claimed this week that he had discovered the nails used in the Crucifixion in what is believed to be the tomb of Caiaphas, the Jewish High Priest in Jerusalem.

Though his claims are unlikely, there are certainly some archaeological finds that can tell us more about the momentous events that first Easter.

reaching out: pope may make first call to space

from fox news: The Pope may make a special call to the International Space Station during the upcoming flight of the space shuttle Endeavour, according to a NASA official. In what would be the first papal call to space, discussions are underway to try to arrange for Pope Benedict XVI to speak to two Italian astronauts onboard the space station, NASA spokesman Rob Navias told SPACE.com. NASA is discussing the potential call with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency (Agenzia Spaziale Italian or ASI), he said. "No final decision has been made – it is under discussion," Navias said. "We are discussing with ESA and ASI the potential of the pontiff calling the crew in a scheduled event slot that belongs to ESA... Part of what will drive this, in whether or not it comes to fruition, is whether or not we launch on April 29, what the Pope's schedule looks like and whether there is any other opportunities if we launch later than the 29th."

4/21 pop occulture: royally cursed rapture

tabloid astrology prediction spells doom for royals*
terrorist threat possible at royal wedding*
uk man gets 70 days for burning quran*
bachmann: US 'cursed if we reject israel'*
pregnant kate hudson dabbles in light-witchcraft to predict baby's sex*
alaskan militia's rapture & bible scriptures simply don't jibe*
using history to sell clothes?
don't try it with the pharaohs*

god as a general: passover's lessons for warfare

from wired: This week, Jews around the world observe the festival of Passover. It’s a remembrance of slavery & a celebration of liberation. But the story of Exodus also offers many political & military lessons for today, as well as a reminder that, as written in Ecclesiastes, “there is nothing new under the sun.” Here are 7 key takeaways for the modern commander, hot from the Burning Bush.

attack on 'blasphemous' art fires debate on role of religion in france

'piss christ' destroyed by christian protesters
from guardian: When New York artist Andres Serrano plunged a plastic crucifix into a glass of his own urine and photographed it in 1987 under the title Piss Christ, he said he was making a statement on the misuse of religion.

Controversy has followed the work ever since, but reached an unprecedented peak on Palm Sunday when it was attacked with hammers and destroyed after an "anti-blasphemy" campaign by French Catholic fundamentalists in the southern city of Avignon.

The violent slashing of the picture, and another Serrano photograph of a meditating nun, has plunged secular France into soul-searching about Christian fundamentalism and Nicolas Sarkozy's use of religious populism in his bid for re-election next year.

It also marks a return to an old standoff between Serrano and the religious right that dates back more than 20 years, to Reagan-era Republicanism in the US.

The photograph, full title Immersion (Piss Christ), was made in 1987 as part of Serrano's series showing religious objects submerged in fluids such as blood and milk. In 1989, rightwing Christian senators' criticism of Piss Christ led to a heated US debate on public arts funding. Republican Jesse Helms told the senate Serrano was "not an artist. He's a jerk."

study hints legendary saints were real, buried alive

bones of roman couple may have been identified
from national geographic: The skeletons of two married, early-Christian saints—said to have been buried alive nearly 2,000 years ago—may have been identified in Italy, scientists announced Thursday. Analysis of the skeletons—sealed off for centuries in an Italian cathedral until recently—seems to support the legend of Chrysanthus and Daria, who are said to have been persecuted in the city of Rome for being Christians. According to ancient stories, the Roman Empire killed the celibate Roman husband and wife in the third century A.D., after they had converted many Romans to the fledgling religion. Though there's no way to identify the skeletons with 100 percent certainty, "all of the evidence we have gathered points toward the relics having belonged to Chrysanthus and Daria," investigation leader Ezio Fulcheri, a paleopathologist at Italy's University of Genoa, said in a statement.

vatican kudos for hackers, no dispensation for computer crackers

from cosmos tv: It's not often that hackers and cybercriminals get the blessing from the Catholic Church. In fact, it’s pretty much never happened before and has many people scratching their heads. What are we taking about? Jesuit priest Father Antonio Spadaro wrote in the Vatican magazine Civilta Cattolica that hackers are doing God’s work. Yes, this is not a post-April Fool’s Day joke. According to this CBS News article, the hacker ethic of embracing a rejection of a profit-oriented approach to work is appealing. “It’s a vision that is … of a clear theological origin,” Spadaro wrote, alluding to their collaborative vision of sharing – a philosophy he said was embodied by the Wikipedia model. Well, perhaps when we say giving cybercriminals their blessing; that may be a bit extreme. Father Spadaro is clearly touting the benefit of openness, creativity and collaboration and sites Wikipedia as a prime example.

was the last supper 24 hours earlier?

scientist claims historic meal was 2 days before crucifixion
from dailymail: Christians have long marked Jesus Christ's Last Supper on Maundy Thursday but new research by a leading academic suggests they have got the wrong date. Professor Colin Humphreys, a scientist at the University of Cambridge, has now concluded that the final meal took place on the Wednesday before the crucifixion, a day earlier than previously accepted.

He believes his findings, which are likely to cause ripples among millions of Christians, could present a case for finally introducing a fixed date for Easter. They also present a solution to apparent contradictions in the Gospels and logistical issues relating to the hours before the crucifixion.

In a new book, The Mystery Of The Last Supper, Prof Humphreys uses a combination of Biblical, historical and astronomical research to address the precise nature and timing of Jesus's final meal with his disciples.

Researchers have long been puzzled by an apparently fundamental Biblical inconsistency. While Matthew, Mark and Luke all assert that the Last Supper coincided with the start of the Jewish festival of Passover, John claims it took place before Passover. The contradiction has presented what has been described as 'the thorniest problem in the New Testament'. But Prof Humphreys has now concluded that Jesus - along with Matthew, Mark and Luke - may have been using a different calendar to John.

nebraska bishop: no communion for planned parenthood supporters

from rawstory: Support for the reproductive health care provider Planned Parenthood continues to be a contentious issue for Catholic groups and bishops. According to Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz of Lincoln, Nebraska, Catholic lawmakers who support Planned Parenthood should be denied Communion "because they’ve defected from the Church’s faith... It advocates contraception," Bruskewitz told LifeSiteNews. "In its origins, from Margaret Sanger, it concentrates on racism. It believes certain races are inferior. It has certainly a eugenic aspect to it – extermination of people who are considered unfit to live, a la Nazis... And of course abortion is an abominable crime," he continued. "The Second Vatican Council is very clear about that. Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion supplier, business, and purveyor, in the United States."

pope served with court papers in molestation case

from examiner: It is official, the Pope and two top Vatican officials have been served with court papers associated with the Milwaukee-area school for the deaf molestation case in which 200 deaf children were alleged to have been molested by Reverend Lawrence C. Murphy between 1950 and 1974.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Jeff Anderson, confirmed yesterday [apr12] that the lawsuit has been going through official channels and that the Vatican has received notice of the suit last week. The suit alleges that the Pope and two other top Vatican officials knew about the accusations of sexual molestation and called off investigations.

Even though Reverend Lawrence C. Murphy has since died, the case continues because of the allegation that the Vatican attempted to systematically cover-up the case. It could even be said that they have obstructed justice and put other children is harms way.

If this case is allowed to proceed, it will open up the door for similar cases throughout the world. Earlier this year, a Philadelphia Grand Jury revealed a similar sexual molestation scandal involving 37 priests of the Catholic Church.

does god approve of lady gaga's outrageous behavior?

from pravda: After one of her concerts Lady Gaga was met by Christian protesters who were angry with the lyrics of the singer's new single "Judas" and a video to the song that will be released by Easter. Believers say that "Judas" is an affront to their religious feelings. Does Gaga intend to deliberately provoke the believers by using religious symbols in her songs?

The music video to the song "Judas" has not been yet released, but some Christians are angered by the promise of Lady Gaga to release it by Easter, as well as the fact that the singer is going to appear in this video in the image of Mary Magdalene.

The GaGavision video of the pop star displays Lady Gaga departing in a limousine after a concert in support of her tour, Monster Ball, and encountering Christian protesters. "Believe in Christ, or end in hell!" said a poster held by one of the protesters. The "religious zealot" was yelling that the singer's actions displease God and are contrary to human values.

related updates: is judas in heaven or hell? god only knows*
video: woman mutilates cat to make outfit for lady gaga concert*

4/14 pop occulture: invasion, eviction, investigation

think you'll need last rites? better plan ahead*
the second coming of jesus &
the space alien tactical invasion of planet earth:
part1 - how should we respond?*
part2 - what should governments be doing?*
21 californian trailer park residents evicted to make way for scientology golf course*
westboro baptist church network of sites back up*
what happened in waco?:
cnn presents - 'waco: faith, fear & fire'*
explosion outside synagogue intentional*
blast suspect charged with murderous intent*
madonna ditches kabbalah for opus dei?*
'the nine: inside secret world of supreme court'*
sports illustrated poll says football fans would go to church, surf internet if nfl season canceled*
video: bob larson casts out homosexual demon*
new study, published in journal of nervous & mental disease, investigates 'mediumship'*

prophetic pillars on st. john the divine cathedral?

from vigilant citizen: One of the first articles published on this site was Sinister Sites – St. John the Divine Cathedral, where I’ve described the building’s occult symbolism and its role in the United Nations’ efforts to push a single world religion. Probably the most shocking part of that article was the pictures of the columns, conceived in 1997, depicting the destruction of New York city (including the Twin Towers). The Church was named after St. John the Divine, the author of the Book of Revelation. The original article showed only two of these columns (the others were not visible at the time I took the pics). Since then however, the other pillars are visible and their symbolism is as esoteric and mysterious as those originally posted.

as royal ritual approaches, coincidences connect the dates

an estimated 2 billion to watch apr29 ritual
from time: Do the future king and queen need to hire a new wedding planner? The couple and their entourage spent weeks deciding on a wedding date, repeatedly liaising with officials at Buckingham Palace, No. 10 Downing Street and Westminster Abbey. But amid all the chatter, no one had the sense to look up "April 29" on Wikipedia. On that morning in 1945, Hitler married his long-time companion Eva Braun in Berlin. They killed themselves less than 40 hours later inside der Führerbunker.

Kate's special day is associated with death and destruction in other ways, too. In 1970, the United States invaded Cambodia seeking to stop the flow of arms from North Vietnam to Viet Cong insurgents. The multi-prong offensive ultimately led to as many as 500,000 deaths. And in 1992, race riots broke out in Los Angeles following the acquittal of four white police officers seen beating motorist Rodney King on videotape. Widespread assaults, looting, murders and robbery resulted in 53 deaths, thousands of injuries, and an estimated $1 billion in property damage. Not exactly happy occasions.

Sure, that's all rather removed from Britain. But for Kate - a commoner marrying into royalty - April 29 has other associations closer to home that may stir discomfort (or at least snickers from her detractors). On that day in 1986, the royal family buried Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor and the wife of King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in order to marry her. Edward's relatives and his inner circle deemed Simpson, a twice-divorced American socialite, as wholly unsuitable for the King. Luckily Queen Elizabeth has already expressed her approval of the fiancée formally known as "Waitey Katie."

And while Kate's accent may sound posh to Americans, Britain's upper crust know all too well that she doesn't come from royal - or even aristocratic - lineage. That her parents—a former pilot and flight attendant - had to earn their money reportedly made Kate and her family the butt of jokes among William's friends. So it's a striking coincidence that My Fair Lady - the Broadway musical about a Cockney girl who strives to transform into a lady - premiered in London on this day in 1958...

It's not all bad news, though. Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Jerry Seinfeld were born on April 29, and it's the day that American forces liberated the Dachau concentration camp. It also coincides with the feast day of an Italian saint from Siena. Her name? Catherine.

related updates: kings of the apocalypse -
secret end times message found encoded on westminster abbey coronation floor*
prince william marked for death with ominous sacrificial beltane cake*
'one big street party for four days': piers breaks down the upcoming royal wedding*
prince andrew may be quizzed as fbi reopen jeffrey epstein sex case*

are these nails from the crucifixion?

new israeli film claims discovery of nails from jesus' cross
from dailymail: These are the two nails used to crucify Jesus, an investigator has claimed after they were discovered in a 2,000-year-old tomb in Jerusalem. The tiny relics, which are around two inches long, were first found in 1990 in an ancient Jerusalem grave said to belong to Caiaphas - the Jewish high priest who sent Jesus to the cross. But shortly after the excavation, the tomb was resealed and the artefacts mysteriously disappeared - until now. In a new documentary, The Nails Of The Cross, Simcha Jacobovici claims that he tracked down the remains to the laboratory in Tel Aviv of an anthropologist who is an expert on ancient bones. However, his dramatic revelations have been met with a cool response from scholars and experts who have dismissed him as a publicity seeker. The film begins by revisiting the burial place hailed by many at the time as the burial place of Caiaphas, who in the New Testament presides over the trial of Jesus. The grave, along with a number of ossuaries - or bone boxes - was uncovered during construction work on a hillside a few kilometres south of the Old City. Caiaphas is a major figure in the Gospels, having sent Jesus to the Romans and on to his death, and one of Jacobovici's assertions is that the high priest did not deserve such a bad reputation. Two iron nails were found in the tomb - one on the ground and one actually inside an ossuary - and, according to the film, disappeared shortly after. Jacobovici says that because Caiaphas is so closely linked to the crucifixion, he believes the nails found in his tomb will be shown to belong to Jesus.

france starts ban on full-face veil

from faithworld: France’s ban on full face veils, a first in Europe, went into force on Monday, making anyone wearing the Muslim niqab or burqa in public liable to a fine of 150 euros or lessons in French citizenship.

Mainstream Muslim groups, which had a six-month grace period after the law was passed to explain it to their supporters, opted not to protest at its entry into force. “We’ve already had our debate about the law and now our position is clear: we respect French law 100 percent,” said a spokesman for the French Council of the Muslim Faith.

Police said they had detained five people, two men and three women, at the small protest in front of Notre Dame Cathedral. The protestors were held for identity checks because their demonstration had not been authorised, not because they were wearing forbidden clothing, a policeman told Reuters.

“It’s so stupid what they’ve done with this law, because now people will wear the (full-face veil) not out of faith but because they are looking for a confrontation,” said Hager Amer, a 27-year-old Muslim woman.

France’s five-million-strong Muslim minority is Western Europe’s largest, but fewer than 2,000 women are believed actually to wear a full face veil. Many still oppose the law, however, on the grounds of the precedent it sets.

update: first woman fined for wearing niqab as intel 'site' says online militants seek attacks on france over ban

atheist publishes secular bible

from cnn: What if the book that billions have turned to for ethical guidance wasn’t tied to commandments from God or any one particular tradition but instead included the writings of Aristotle, the reflections of Confucius, the poetry of Baudelaire? What would that book look like, and what would it mean?

Decades after he started asking such questions, what Grayling calls “a lifetime’s work” has hit bookshelves. “The Good Book: A Humanist Bible,” subtitled “A Secular Bible” in the United Kingdom, was published this month. Grayling crafted it by using more than a thousand texts representing several hundred authors, collections and traditions.

The Bible would have been “a very different book and may have produced a very different history for mankind,” had it drawn on the work of philosophers and writers as opposed to prophets and apostles, says Grayling, a philosopher and professor at Birkbeck College, University of London, who is an atheist.

Like the Bible, "The Good Book," opens with a garden scene. But instead of Adam and Eve, Grayling's Genesis invokes Isaac Newton, the British scientist who pioneered the study of gravity.

The book's final chapter features a secular humanist version of the Ten Commandments: "Love well, seek the good in all things, harm no others, think for yourself, take responsibility, respect nature, do your utmost, be informed, be kind, be courageous: at least, sincerely try."

making sense of elizabeth taylor's jewish conversion

from cnn: In early April 1959, Time magazine reported that “the most famous and perhaps the most beautiful baby born last week was a Jewish girl named Elisheba Rachel Taylor.”

Explaining that a convert to Judaism is considered "a newborn child," the article recounted the conversion of 27-year-old actress Elizabeth Taylor to the faith. Her newly acquired Hebrew name, used in ceremonies accompanying life cycle events, combined the Hebrew version of Elizabeth with her biblical heroine, Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife.

Raised a Christian Scientist, Taylor’s decision wasn’t sudden. She first thought about converting when she married movie producer Mike Todd, her third husband, who’d been born Avrom Goldbogen and was the grandson of a Polish rabbi, Time reported.

But the theory that Todd - or that her soon-to-be next Jewish husband Eddie Fisher - provided the impetus for her conversion was one she disputed. Taylor's conversion came a year after Todd’s death in a plane crash, Benjamin Ivry wrote Wednesday in The Forward, a Jewish newspaper.

Judaism is not a proselytizing faith. In fact, an ancient practice that some rabbis still follow is to turn away would-be conversion candidates three times before agreeing to work with them as a way to test their commitment.

4/7 pop occulture: burn, build, blast, banner

protests continue in afghanistan against quran burning*
dangerous momentum building for unilateral declaration of a palestinian state in september;
bible warns nations not to divide the land of israel*
top uk druid charged with money fraud*
how a 'jester god' revealed oldest mayan royal tomb*
nyc grandma gets 3yrs in voodoo ritual case*
'scientology: the truth about a lie' open at dc filmfest*
accidental blast rocks california jewish centre*
video: priest may be defrocked for saying 'terrorist'*
teenagers speak up for lack of faith:
atheists organize at a high school in panama city*
video: atheist sues to get school prayer banner removed*

codices lead to allegations of jesus as an openly gay man

from guardian: What if the newly found codices provided evidence of Jesus's same-sex activity? Michael Ruse imagines the implications. The most astounding finding from the newly discovered lead codices is that Jesus Christ was unambiguously and openly gay. He and his disciples formed a same-sex coterie, bound by feelings of love and mutual support. There are recorded instances of same-sex activity – the "beloved disciple" plays a significant role – and there is affirmation of the joys of friendship and of living and loving together.

india spiritual leader sai baba 'critical' in hospital

from bbc: One of India's most revered spiritual leaders, Satya Sai Baba, is in a critical condition, doctors say. Thousands of devotees in the state of Andhra Pradesh have gathered outside a hospital where he was admitted last week with breathing problems. State security forces have increased their presence around the hospital in Puttaparthi as devotees prayed for his well-being there. The 84-year-old guru is thought to have millions of followers around the world. His distinctive orange robes and his hair have made him one of the most recognisable of India's spiritual gurus. He professes to be the reincarnation of a Hindu godman - a human being who declares himself divine - from the 19th Century.

is this the first ever portrait of jesus?

from daily mail: The image is eerily familiar: a bearded young man with flowing curly hair. After lying for nearly 2,000 years hidden in a cave in the Holy Land, the fine detail is difficult to determine. But in a certain light it is not difficult to interpret the marks around the figure’s brow as a crown of thorns. The extraordinary picture of one of the recently discovered hoard of up to 70 lead codices – booklets – found in a cave in the hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee is one reason Bible historians are clamouring to get their hands on the ancient artefacts. If genuine, this could be the first-ever portrait of Jesus Christ, possibly even created in the lifetime of those who knew him.

millions expected for may day papal beatification in rome

from ajc: You may need a miracle to find an affordable room in Rome the weekend of Pope John Paul II's beatification ceremony. Or maybe there's a miracle in the making. The Vatican travel agency for pilgrimages said prices on rooms might tumble in the coming weeks because predictions of upward of 1 million people pouring into this city for the May 1 event could scare off potential hotel guests. Others might resist the temptation to take a Roman holiday after complaints about sixfold increases in hotel prices and Vatican warnings about unscrupulous agents hawking services on the Internet to procure "tickets" for the beatification. There are no tickets. The Vatican decided it will be first come, first served, for visitors securing a place in St. Peter's Square for the elaborate ceremony to mark the last formal step before possible sainthood for the beloved pontiff.