Pope Francis holds open-air mass for worshippers in Bahrain amid outreach mission to the Gulf
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Some 30,000 flag-waving worshipers gathered on Saturday for an open-air mass held by Pope Francis in the Muslim-majority country of Bahrain, the culmination of his outreach mission to the Gulf.
Many people in the municipality had tears in their eyes as they waited to see the 85-year-old at the Bahrain National Stadium.
In addition to serving Bahrain’s Catholic community, Pope Francis’ 39th international visit is largely focused on building ties with Muslim officials
Pope Francis, who uses a wheelchair and walking stick due to knee problems and his advanced age, smiled and waved to the crowd from his open-sided popemobile where he sat, flanked by more than a dozen appropriate guards and caretakers.
Pope Francis, 85, waves while presiding over a holy mass at the Bahrain National Stadium in Riffa, Bahrain, on Saturday, November 5, 2022
About 30,000 worshipers attend Pope Francis’ mass at Bahrain National Stadium
Much of the 30,000-strong congregation had tears in their eyes as they waited to see the Pope
The Pope waved to the crowd from an open-sided popemobile where he sat
As a 100-piece multinational choir sang in multiple languages, the Argentine rose to kiss children who were lifted to greet him in the specially modified vehicle, which drove slowly to a white stage with a giant gold cross in the background.
“This country is a living image of coexistence in diversity and indeed an image of our world, increasingly characterized by the constant migration of peoples and by a pluralism of ideas, customs and traditions,” he said in a speech.
The Pope, who has made Islam a pillar of his papacy, is on his second visit to the resource-rich Gulf, the cradle of Islam.
During his 2019 trip to the United Arab Emirates, he led a mass for 170,000 people and signed a Christian-Muslim manifesto for peace.
He spent much of his four-day trip to Bahrain meeting with top officials and religious figures, but for Catholics on the small island, including many migrant workers, Saturday’s Mass was the highlight.
‘We’ve been here since one o’clock. We didn’t sleep,” said volunteer Philomina Abranches, 46, an Indian-born Bahraini resident.
Pope Francis presided over mass. This was part of his visit to the Gulf to participate in a government sponsored East-West Dialogue conference and to serve Bahrain’s small Catholic community
Pope Francis presides over a holy mass at the Bahrain National Stadium during his apostolic journey, in Riffa, Bahrain on Saturday
The Pope has made the attainment of Islam a pillar of his papacy. Bahrain has a small Catholic community.
“We are so looking forward to it. We all call him ‘Daddy’. Above all, he stands for peace in the world. This is what we need now.’
Margerite Heida, 63, also a Bahrain resident, said: “Receiving Pope Francis is the best feeling. This is the biggest event of the year.’
Heida waited for her second look at the Pope.
“I saw him at church yesterday,” she said. “I consider myself lucky to be able to see him. I was also able to hold his hand yesterday and got his blessing.’
Many believers came to glimpse the Pope from across the Gulf region, which is home to about two million Catholics, mostly foreign workers from South Asia and the Philippines.
About 30,000 people gather to attend a holy mass at Bahrain’s National Stadium during Pope Francis’ apostolic journey
A child watches as people gather to attend a holy mass at the Bahrain National Stadium during the open-air mass led by Pope Francis
A woman covers herself from the sun as she attends mass celebrated by Pope Francis at Bahrain’s National Stadium
A man receives Holy Communion during Holy Mass presided over by Pope Francis
Pope, who has made Islam a pillar of his papacy, is on his second visit to the resource-rich Gulf, the cradle of Islam
Bahrain, like the United Arab Emirates, is considered a relatively tolerant Arab nation.
Yet NGOs cite discrimination, repression and intimidation in Bahrain by the Sunni elite against Shiites, crackdowns on opposition figures and activists and other forms of abuse.
A government spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday that Bahrain “does not tolerate discrimination” and “is proud of its values of tolerance.”
The statement said that “no individual” will be prosecuted “because of their religious or political beliefs”, but pointed to “a duty to investigate” those who “incite, promote or glorify violence or hatred”.
Everyone in the stadium was given a plastic bag containing a white baseball cap, a paper Vatican flag, a bottle of water, a booklet with details of the Mass and some cookies.
Pope Francis’ 39th international visit is largely focused on building ties with Muslim officials. On Friday, he met the Grand Imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar Mosque, one of the leading authorities of Sunni Islam, and members of the Muslim Council of Elders.
In addition to serving Bahrain’s small Catholic population, Pope Francis’ 39th international visit is largely focused on building ties with Muslim officials
After Mass, the Pope greets the faithful on the open Popemobile. Later on Saturday he meets children at the Sacred Heart School in Bahrain
He also attended a service at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Arabia, the largest in the Arabian Peninsula with more than 2,000 seats. Among the congregation were hundreds of migrant workers who welcomed him.
Later on Saturday, Francis meets children at Sacred Heart School.
On Sunday, he will attend a prayer meeting at the 83-year-old Sacred Heart Church — the oldest in the region — before flying back to Rome.