Jubilee Year/Holy Year Dec 2015 - Nov 2016 - Announced today by Papa Francesco -

[amorfati1]

http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-announces-new-global-jubilee-holy-year-mercy
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/03/13/about_the_jubilee_of_mercy/1129281
http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/201...ly_with_announcement_of_year_of_mercy/1129218

The reason that I am posting this here is because during holy years / jubilee years (which apparently 'happened/were declared' only 29 times since 1300's - ) is that during those years it is deemed especially auspicious etc, to make a pilgrimage to rome and other places of pilgrimage.

it MIGHT account for another increase of pilgrims on the path to santiago di compostela -

He called it the Jubilee of Mercy ---
“This is the time of mercy. It is important that the lay faithful live it and bring it into different social environments. Go forth!”

 

[Saramago]

Ah, hadn't heard. Thanks for sharing. Indeed, it would seem to increase traffic. Jubilee year 2000 was a crowded mess in Rome. My daughter and I drove from Paris to my condo in Switzerland, then to Rome via other cities in Italy. There were beautiful cobalt blue bottles of wine for Jubilee year all along the way. When we hit Rome it coincided with some kind of World Youth Day. Tons of teens and fast food wrappers littered the city. Fun time, though!