Pope draws millions to Brazil beach Mass
An enormous crowd cheered the first Latin American pontiff. Said one of his aides: "This trip was a success."
RIO DE JANEIRO - An estimated three million people poured onto Rio's Copacabana beach Sunday for the final Mass of Pope Francis' historic trip to his home continent, cheering the first Latin American pope in one of the biggest turnouts for a papal Mass in recent history.
Speaking from a white stage and looking out over the enormous crowd, Francis urged young Catholics to go out and spread their faith "to the fringes of society, even to those who seem farthest away, most indifferent."
"The church needs you, your enthusiasm, your creativity, and the joy that is so characteristic of you!" he said to applause in his final homily of World Youth Day.
The pope's trip, which was to end when he took off Sunday night for Rome, was hailed as a great success by clergy, pilgrims, and everyday Brazilians alike. The pope's nonstop agenda was followed live on television for all seven days. His good nature and modesty clearly charmed the nation that has more Catholics than any other.
"This trip was a success. It was great to see the pope on his continent, in his house, speaking his language every day," said the Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman. "It's been a great experience to see this pope being even more spontaneous in his own house ... so comfortable in what he was doing."
Nearly the entire 2.5-mile crescent of Copacabana's broad beach overflowed with flag-waving faithful, some of them taking an early-morning dip in the Atlantic and others tossing T-shirts, flags, and soccer jerseys into the pontiff's open-sided car as he drove by. Francis worked the crowd, kissing babies, taking a sip of mate tea handed up to him, and catching gifts on the fly.
Even the normally stern-faced Vatican bodyguards let smiles slip as they jogged alongside Francis' car, caught up in the enthusiasm of the crowd.
The numbers clearly overwhelmed the area's services: The stench of garbage and human waste hung in Rio's humid air, and the beach and adjoining chic Atlantic Avenue looked like an improvised refugee camp plunked down in the middle of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Copacabana's famous mosaic sidewalks were strewn with trampled cardboard, plastic bags, empty water bottles, and cookie wrappers as trash collectors in orange uniforms tried to restore order.
After Sunday's Mass, Francis was meeting with the bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as holding a thank-you audience with some of the 60,000 volunteers who organized the youth festival.
The Rev. Jean-Luc Zadroga - a Benedictine monk who was leading a group of 14 students from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, outside Pittsburgh - said it was clear that Francis had connected with the crowd, particularly the locals.
"He's really trying to reach out to Catholics who have fallen away from the church or disappointed with the church," Zadroga said, "and I think it's working."