ROME (Reuters)- Rome is set for a smooth switch to the new millennium, even with the hordes of pilgrims expected to swamp the Eternal City, officials said Monday.

``Some people have said having the Holy See here means we're getting help from on high. But that's not so ... we are relying on very real, solid efforts to smooth the transition to the new millennium,'' Mariella Gramaglia, government officer in charge of Y2K problems, told a news conference.

The pope has declared 2000 a jubilee or Holy Year for the Roman Catholic Church and as many as 30 million pilgrims are expected to flood into Rome. Gramaglia said that had spurred the city into starting preparations in good time.

Italy has drawn foreign criticism for launching Y2K preparations late and was the only G7 country to get a could-do-better report card from the State Department in a September report.

-- Mild Mannered Reporter (clark@super.duper), November 29, 1999

Answers

why is everyone so caught up in this "2000" thing? who really cares? is it somehow more holy than another year?

-- what (is@ll.the fuss?), November 30, 1999.