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world youth day
Pope Francis showed he is well in touch with what’s popular in society today by posing for a “selfie” with young Italian pilgrims in St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City.
The head of 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide has already amassed more than three million followers on the social networking site Twitter, with his latest offering believed to be the first ever “papal selfie”.
Pope Francis posed for a selfie with young Italian pilgrims in St Peter’s Basilica
Around 500 teenagers had travelled from the Diocese of Piacenza and Bobbio for a pilgrimage, and shared a private audience with the pontiff.
Pope Francis was also presented a gift from his followers of a portrait of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns.
He has made a concerted effort to understand and integrate with worldwide youth since he succeeded Pope Benedict XVI.
This was demonstrated when Pope Francis attended Brazil’s World Youth Day, with tens of thousands of people greeting him as he urged young Catholics to “make disciples of all nations”.
Following his return to Vatican City from Brazil, Pope Francis Tweeted: “What an unforgettable week in Rio! Thank you, everyone. Pray for me. #Rio2013 #JMJ.”
The Pope has already charmed the masses with his informal style, simplicity and sense of humor.
Pope Francis has also being known to ring people up who have written to him asking for prayers or told him of personal tragedy.
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Pope Francis has closed World Youth Day festival in Rio de Janeiro with a Mass on Copacabana beach.
More than three million people are estimated to have gathered for the service in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Many of the pilgrims had slept on the beach after attending an all-night vigil, which Pope Francis also led.
Sunday’s ceremony marks the end of the Pope’s five-day visit to Brazil – his first foreign trip since becoming pontiff in March.
Pope Francis is set to fly back to Rome later on Sunday.
Correspondents say almost every inch of the two-and-a-half mile long beach was occupied ahead of the Mass, as most of the young people stayed after the vigil, pitching tents or sleeping in the open.
The vigil and Sunday mass have attracted the biggest crowd ever to Copacabana beach, which has hosted rock concerts, sports events and the traditional New Year celebrations.
Pope Francis encouraged young Catholics to get out of their parochial boundaries in order to help others.
“Go and don’t be afraid of serving,” he said.
More than three million people are estimated to have gathered for Pope Francis’ final service in the city of Rio de Janeiro
“Jesus did not gather the Apostles so they lived in isolation. He called them so they formed a group, a community,” said Pope Francis.
Pope Francis announced the next Catholic youth festival would be held in the Polish city of Krakow in 2016.
Female activists held a demonstration nearby in support of abortion and women’s rights.
In the past three decades, the Catholic church has lost millions of followers to smaller Christian denominations.
In his vigil address on Saturday, the pontiff had urged the pilgrims not to be “part-time Christians”, but to lead full, meaningful lives.
Speaking on a huge stage at the beach where a mock church structure was built, Pope Francis referred to the street protests which have been taking place in Brazil for more than a month.
“The young people in the street are the ones who want to be actors of change. Please don’t let others be actors of change,” he told the crowd at the vigil.
“Keep overcoming apathy and offering a Christian response to the social and political concerns taking place in different parts of the world.”
Also on Saturday, the Pope repeated his challenge to fellow Roman Catholic clerics to take to the streets.
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Crowds of Roman Catholic pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro have joined Pope Francis for a re-enactment of Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion.
The Stations of the Cross march comes on the Pope’s fifth day in Brazil for World Youth Day – a weeklong event for more than a million young Christians.
Pope Francis spoke about the lack of faith in political institutions perceived as selfish and corrupt by young people.
A planned field vigil outside Rio de Janeiro was moved to the city because of rain.
Young Catholics played drums on Copacabana beach as they waited for the Pope. People from all over the world travelled to Brazil for the pontiff’s visit.
“Jesus is united with so many young people who have lost faith in political institutions, because they see in them only selfishness and corruption,” Pope Francis said.
Protests, sometimes violent, broke out in cities across Brazil last month against corruption, poor public services and the high cost of events like the 2014 World Cup.
Pope Francis, 76, also expressed understanding for Christians who had lost faith in the church because of what he called the “incoherence of Christians and ministers of the gospel”.
The Roman Catholic Church has been rocked by scandals over abuse by priests.
Crowds of Roman Catholic pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro have joined Pope Francis for a re-enactment of Jesus carrying the cross to his crucifixion
A pilgrim described the Pope as “very clever” and “very humble” with “a lot” of personality.
“It’s what our religion… our church is needing right now,” she said.
Shortly after Pope Francis finished speaking, police held a group of protesters who tried to invade the stage. They were demonstrating against the state governor of Rio, Sergio Cabral.
In Brazil’s largest city, Sao Paulo, some 300 demonstrators attacked several bank branches and at least one police post in protest against the state governor there.
Police said at least eight bank branches were attacked, and for a time several of Sao Paulo’s main avenues were blocked.
Tear gas was used to disperse the protesters.
Earlier, Latin America’s first pontiff met a group of prisoners in a palace of the Rio archdiocese.
Pope Francis then emerged on a balcony to address the crowd, urging them to cherish the elderly on Grandparents’ Day.
“How important grandparents are for family life, for passing on the human and religious heritage which is so essential for each and every society,” he said.
Pope Francis then went to a park where he heard three Brazilians, a Venezuelan and an Italian confess their sins.
Brazil is the world’s biggest Roman Catholic country, despite the growing popularity of Pentecostal Christianity in the country.
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Pope Francis has met thousands of pilgrims at Copacabana beach, in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, to hold the greeting ceremony for World Youth Day.
After arriving by helicopter, Pope Francis drove along the 2.5 miles of the beach, stopping many times to greet the crowd.
An estimated 1 million pilgrims attended the event, following a papal visit to a shanty town, or favela.
Meanwhile, bad weather has forced this weekend’s events to be moved from a drenched farm on the outskirts of Rio.
A site set up at a farm on the western outskirts of the city for Saturday’s vigil and Sunday’s service, where up to 2 million people are expected, was covered with mud and puddles after two days of relentless rain.
The authorities have announced that these events will now also take place at Copacabana beach.
Hours before Pope Francis arrived at Copacabana on Thursday, young pilgrims started gathering along the beach.
“I’ve always heard that Cariocas [Rio-born people] did not like the cold or the rain. But you are showing your faith is stronger. Well done!” Pope Francis joked with the crowd at the start of his address.
Groups resembling Olympic delegation were holding up the flags of their countries and many were carrying the distinct World Youth Day backpacks in yellow, green or blue, the colors of the host-country’s flag.
Pope Francis has met thousands of pilgrims at Copacabana beach to hold the greeting ceremony for World Youth Day
Big screens were set up on the sand and the rain stopped before the event.
On the fourth day of his visit to Brazil, the first international trip of his papacy, Pope Francis also addressed Argentine faithful in Rio’s cathedral.
During the event, the pontiff told pilgrims to take to the streets and “stir things up”.
“I expect a messy World Youth Day. But I want things messy and stirred up in the congregations, I want you to take to the streets. I want the Church to take to the streets,” the Argentine-born pope told the crowd.
Before the meeting with his fellow countrymen, Pope Francis blessed the new altar at a tiny church and hugged and kissed locals who crowded the Varginha community streets.
Security was tight in the shanty town, which is part of the larger Manguinhos favela, one of the many hillside shanty towns which surround Rio.
Helicopters and sharpshooters were on patrol as Pope Francis visited the area while school children waved flags and held up balloons.
The Brazilian government has made the “pacification” of these communities, once a byword for poverty, crime and drugs, one of its priorities.
Heavily-armed police have moved into some of the more lawless favelas, including Varginha, to “flush out” the criminals and drug dealers who controlled large swathes of these communities.
According to official estimates, more than 20% of the population of the city live in favelas.
Pope Francis, who has called for a “Church of the poor” and who during his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires regularly visited some of the poorest areas of that city, specifically asked for a favela to be included in his schedule.
Locals say the government’s policy of sending large numbers of police to the area has gone some way towards calming the area, but not enough.
The visit comes just a day after Pope Francis said it was key to tackle the roots of drug abuse rather than consider legalizing them.
At a Mass at the shrine of Aparecida, the Pope also warned tens of thousands of faithful against the “passing idols” of money, power and pleasure.
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Pope Francis has warned against drug legalization plans in Latin America during the inauguration of a clinic for drug addicts in Rio de Janeiro.
The roots of drug abuse should be tackled, he said on the third day of his visit to Brazil.
Uruguay is close to allowing the legal sale of marijuana, with other countries pondering similar liberalization.
Earlier, the Argentine-born pontiff celebrated the first Mass of his trip, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida.
He warned tens of thousands of faithful against the “passing idols” of money, power and pleasure.
After the visit to Aparecida, in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, the pope flew back to Rio de Janeiro.
At the inauguration of a drug rehabilitation clinic at the Sao Francisco hospital, he hugged former addicts and heard their stories.
Pope Francis has warned against drug legalization plans in Latin America during the inauguration of a clinic for drug addicts in Rio de Janeiro
“It is necessary to tackle the problems which are at the root of drug abuse, promoting more justice, educating the youth with the values that live in society, standing by those who face hardship and giving them hope for the future,” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis also warned against plans to legalize drugs in Latin America and condemned drug-traffickers.
“How many dealers of death there are that follow the logic of power and money at any cost! The scourge of drug-trafficking, that favors violence and sows the seeds of suffering and death, requires of society as a whole an act of courage,” he said.
Leaders in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and others have spoken for softer stances on drugs policy.
In Uruguay, a project decriminalizing marijuana sale is set to be voted in Congress next week.
President Jose Mujica says its main goal is combating drug trafficking.
On Monday Pope Francis faced chaotic scenes as he arrived in Rio de Janeiro.
The pontiff is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival. It is his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church in March.
The highlight of the five-day festival will be a prayer service on Rio’s iconic Copacabana Beach on Thursday.
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Pope Francis has arrived at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo to hold the first Mass of his trip to Latin America.
The pontiff traveled to the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida by plane and helicopter.
On Monday Pope Francis faced chaotic scenes when crowds mobbed his car as he arrived in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
He is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival. It is his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church in March.
The highlight of the five-day festival will be a prayer service led by Pope Francis on Rio’s iconic Copacabana Beach on Thursday.
The pontiff’s visit is taking place under tight security, after weeks of protests against the government and corruption.
Thousands of pilgrims arrived in the rural town of Aparecida ahead of Wednesday’s Mass, scheduled to take place at 10:30 local time at the basilica holding the shrine.
A homemade explosive device was discovered there on Sunday, but authorities said it was “of low power” and not near the area where the Pope and pilgrims will visit.
Pope Francis has arrived at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo to hold the first Mass of his trip to Latin America
The Vatican later insisted that the discovery was no cause for concern.
Pope Francis is expected to fly back to Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday afternoon to visit a hospital and address young people taking part in a drug rehabilitation program.
On Tuesday, around 400,000 Roman Catholics joined a ceremony on Copacabana Beach to mark the opening of World Youth Day.
There was transport chaos shortly before the event when the Rio metro system was brought to a standstill for two hours by a power cut.
Crowds of people hoping to attend the Mass were left stranded, while others crammed onto buses and taxis heading to the beach.
Travel chaos also ensued on Monday when the pontiff’s car became stuck in one of Rio’s infamous traffic jams, after his driver reportedly took the wrong turn and missed lanes that had been cleared by the security services.
Correspondents said Brazil was reviewing security around the pontiff following the incident.
Pope Francis, who is from neighboring Argentina, was officially welcomed at the state governor’s palace by Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff on Monday.
However, police later fired tear gas to disperse people who were demonstrating outside. They were protesting against the government and also against the cost of the papal visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
Some 30,000 army and police are on duty throughout the Pope’s visit.
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Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have gathered at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the opening of the World Youth Day festival.
The highlight of the festival will be a visit on Thursday by Pope Francis.
Pope Francis arrived on Monday for his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church.
The pontiff’s visit is taking place under tight security, after weeks of protests against the government and corruption.
Tuesday’s evening mass at Copacabana Beach will be led by Rio’s Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta.
Hundreds of thousands of Catholics have gathered at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro for the opening of the World Youth Day festival
Pope Francis will welcome pilgrims to the five-day festival, which is expected to draw about 1.5 million people from around the world.
The Pope, who is from neighboring Argentina, has no public events scheduled for Tuesday and was spending time at a private residence.
Correspondents say Brazil is reviewing security around the 76-year-old pontiff after he was mobbed by adoring crowds following his arrival in Brazil on Monday.
Many were able to stop the Pope’s motorcade as it travelled through Rio and reach their hands inside his car’s open window.
“The Pope’s secretary told me he was terrified, but the Pope kept smiling,” Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told reporters.
Pope Francis was officially welcomed at the state governor’s palace by President Dilma Rousseff. However, police outside later fired tear gas to disperse people who were protesting against the government, but also against the cost of the papal visit.
On Wednesday Pope Francis will visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Sao Paulo state, where a homemade explosive device was discovered on Sunday.
The authorities said the device was “of low power” and nowhere near the area where the Pope and pilgrims will visit.
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Pope Francis’ visit to Brazil – main events:
Monday:
- Arrival and welcoming ceremony at Rio state governor’s palace
Tuesday
- No scheduled public events
Wednesday:
Pope Francis was greeted by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff at Rio de Janeiro airport
- Visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida and to the St Francis of Assisi of the Providence of God Hospital in Rio
Thursday:
- Visit to the Varginha community in Rio, welcoming ceremony at the World Youth Day on Copacabana
Friday:
- Meeting with young prisoners and a Way of the Cross ceremony on Copacabana
Saturday:
- Meeting with Brazil’s leaders in Rio and a prayer vigil with young people
Sunday:
- Holy Mass for the World Youth Day in Rio, farewell ceremony and departure for Rome
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Pope Francis has been greeted by tens of thousands of Brazilian pilgrims as he toured Rio de Janeiro in an open car and then met President Dilma Rousseff at the state governor’s palace.
After the pontiff left, police fired tear gas to disperse protests against both the government and the cost of the visit.
Pope Francis is in Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival.
In a speech soon after his arrival, the Pope urged young Catholics to “make disciples of all nations”.
“I came to meet young people coming from all over the world, drawn to the open arms of Christ the Redeemer,” he said at the governor’s palace, referring to Rio’s famous vast statue of Jesus.
“They want to find a refuge in his embrace, right near his heart to hear his call clearly and powerfully.”
About an hour after the welcoming ceremony, police fired stun grenades and tear gas against the demonstrators outside the palace.
It was the latest rally against what the protesters described as endemic government corruption across the country.
But some were also unhappy about $53 million in public fund being spent for the pontiff’s visit.
There was little damage and few arrests, but it was a reminder that there is still a real possibility the pontiff’s high-profile visit to a huge Catholic festival in Rio could be overshadowed by political events.
Crowds mobbed Pope Francis’ car in Rio de Janeiro as it made its way from the airport
In a separate development, the military said a homemade explosive device had been discovered at a shrine between Rio and Sao Paulo that the Pope is due to visit on Wednesday.
The device at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Conception of Aparecida was described as being “of low power” and was destroyed.
As Pope Francis disembarked from the Alitalia plane in Rio’s airport earlier on Monday, he was welcomed by President Dilma Rousseff to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. A choir sang an anthem linked to Youth Day and he was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
The Pope waved before being taken by motorcade to the centre of Rio, where thousands of pilgrims have gathered.
Pope Francis looked relaxed and jovial as he was driven into Rio de Janeiro in a modest family car, with the window wound down and security officials struggling to keep back the crowds.
There were chaotic scenes as his car became stuck in one of the city’s infamous traffic jams, after the pope’s driver reportedly took the wrong turn and missed lanes that had been cleared by the security services.
Crowds immediately gathered round the vehicle hoping to catch a glimpse or touch Pope Francis. One woman passed her baby through the window for a kiss from the Holy Father.
Once in the city centre, the Pope switched to an open-air Popemobile, waving at the tens of thousands who lined the streets he travelled through.
The authorities have increased security during the Pope’s seven-day visit, following weeks of nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.
Pope Francis refused to use an armored Popemobile, despite requests from Brazilian officials. Some 30,000 security staff – army and police are on duty throughout his visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
The Argentina-born Pope – who became head of the Catholic Church in March – is due to lead a prayer service on Copacabana beach on Thursday. He will also visit one of Rio’s shanty towns.
Speaking to reporters on his flight from Rome, the Pope said young people were “at this moment are in crisis,” in an apparent reference to the continuing economic crisis across Europe.
“We run the risk of having a generation that hasn’t worked,” he said, even though work confers dignity.
Pope Francis also criticized what he said was a “culture” of socially rejecting the elderly who were “thrown away” as if they had nothing to offer.
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Pope Francis has arrived in Rio de Janeiro on his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church in March.
The first Latin American Pope touched down at Rio de Janeiro airport on Monday afternoon and was greeted by Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff.
The Argentina-born pontiff has travelled to Brazil to attend the Roman Catholic World Youth Day festival.
En route, Pope Francis told reporters that the global crisis risked creating a lost generation of jobless youth.
Pope Francis has arrived in Rio de Janeiro on his first trip abroad since becoming head of the Catholic Church
As he left the Alitalia plane, Pope Francis was welcomed by President Dilma Rousseff to cheers and applause from the waiting crowd. A choir sang and the pontiff was presented with a bouquet of flowers.
Pope Francis waved before being taken by motorcade to the centre of Rio de Janeiro, where large numbers of pilgrims have gathered.
The authorities have increased security during the Pope’s visit, following weeks of nationwide protests against corruption and bad governance.
Pope Francis has refused to use an armored Popemobile, despite requests from Brazilian officials. Some 22,000 security staff will be on duty during his visit.
More than a million young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio for World Youth Day, which takes place every two years, and is a celebration of the Catholic faith.
Pope Francis is due to lead a service on Copacabana beach, and visit a shanty town.
Speaking to reporters on his flight from Rome, Pope Francis said: “We run the risk of having a generation that hasn’t worked,” even though work confers dignity.
Pope Francis also criticized what he said was a “culture” of socially rejecting the elderly who were “thrown away” as if they had nothing to offer.
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Pope Francis has announced in his Palm Sunday homily he will visit Brazil in July for the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
The Pope will attend the Catholic youth gathering in Rio de Janeiro, saying Mass on Copacabana beach and praying at the Christ the Redeemer statue.
Pope Francis spoke in St Peter’s Square as Holy Week, the most important period in the Christian calendar, began.
Thousands of people waved olive branches and palm fronds in the crowd.
The gesture commemorates palm branches which, according to the Bible, were laid in the path of Jesus Christ when he made his entry on a donkey into Jerusalem before his crucifixion.
Pope Francis has announced in his Palm Sunday homily he will visit Brazil in July for the World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro
Pope Francis departed frequently from the prepared text of his homily.
His style is informal, direct and, in contrast to his predecessors, he tells stories off the cuff to illustrate the points he wants to make, our correspondent says.
The Catholic youth festival is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims from around the world.
Towards the end of his homily, Pope Francis said: “I look forward joyfully to next July in Rio de Janeiro.
“I will see you in that great city in Brazil.”
The gathering in Rio would, Pope Francis said, be a “sign of faith for the whole world”.
Pope Benedict XVI attended the last such festival, in Madrid, in August 2011.
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