Pompei had a day of two crowds moving through the same city, according to Il Mattino. The newspaper reported about 40,000 people in Pompei: approximately 20,000 pilgrims for the Supplica in honour of Bartolo Longo and about 20,000 visitors at the archaeological excavations during a free-admission museum initiative.
The figures come from the newspaper's report and were not independently corroborated by an official attendance statement in the available documentation. The report also does not establish the exact publication date, referring to the event as having taken place "yesterday."
The Supplica at the Basilica
The religious gathering centered on the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary. Il Mattino reported that the celebration was presided over by Monsignor Paolo Rudelli.
The reported message of the day was direct: that life should prevail, with an appeal for peace to advance and justice to prevail. That appeal is reflected in the headline phrase associated with the event, "Vincano la vita e la giustizia" — "May life and justice prevail."
Who Was Bartolo Longo
The gathering was held in the name of Bartolo Longo, founder of the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Pompei. Religious sources describe his legacy as joining Marian devotion with practical charitable work, including care for poor children in Pompei.
Longo was canonised by Pope Leo XIV on 19 October 2025, according to the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. The Lay Dominicans likewise record his canonisation and his role as founder of the Pompeian shrine.
A Historical Echo: 20,000 in 1883
One detail gives the reported pilgrim figure added context. According to the Lay Dominicans, the first Supplication held in Pompei took place in 1883 and gathered 20,000 pilgrims.
The newspaper's estimate for the recent Supplica — about 20,000 pilgrims — therefore matches the attendance figure recorded for that first gathering. The available research does not explain how either number was counted, so the parallel should be read as reported history rather than a precise comparison.
Pilgrimage on One Side, Archaeology on the Other
The second half of the reported 40,000 concerned the archaeological site. Il Mattino linked the large tourist presence to a free-museum initiative, with about 20,000 people visiting the excavations.
For readers planning a visit, one practical reference point is useful. The official Pompeii Archaeological Park portal states a daily limit of 20,000 admissions and provides official visitor and ticket information. On this reported occasion, the newspaper's tourist estimate was therefore equal to the park's stated daily admissions limit. That describes this one reported day, not a general pattern for free-admission days.
The exact number admitted to the archaeological park on the day in question was not established independently of the newspaper estimate.
Why This Day Stood Out
What made the day notable was the combination: a major devotional appointment at the Basilica alongside intense archaeological tourism. One movement was directed toward the shrine founded by Longo and the Supplica tradition dating to 1883; the other was directed toward the ancient city.
Together, the two reported crowds explain the newspaper's figure of 40,000 — a day in which Pompei's modern religious identity and its archaeological identity were both fully present.
