I just found (2011/05/01 09:20am italian time zone) in my RSS reader these two titles from the two biggest Italian newspapers:
Corriere della Sera: one million people in Rome for Wojtyla beatification
Repubblica: 200 thousands people for Wojtyla, Rome invaded by pilgrims
[](/images/wojtyla_cifre.png) they link at the articles you see in this screenshot. Reading them, it seems that Repubblica refers to the people who participated in the all-night prayer vigil and then moved to S. Peter’s square at dawn, whereas Corriere refers to how many people will or may attend the actual beatification ceremony, that hasn’t begun while I’m writing this. We’ll see. For now, here’s another demonstration of how numbers and all raw data must always be used, but always paying attention to who presents them, how, and to what the exact topic is.