The photo of the Pope who travels the world

Pope Francis ends his visit to the United Arab Emirates, the first of a pontiff to the Arabian Peninsula, with a mbad in a stadium of a country that allows the practice of Christianity on the condition that it is unobtrusive.

More than 2,000 buses transported worshipers from all over the country to Abu Dhabi for free.

In a historic gesture of closeness between two of the world's most important religions, the pope, dressed in white, and Sheikh Ahmed al Tayeb, in black, they showed up together in a fraternal way in front of the big mosque Zayed – one of the largest on the planet – then they greeted each other with a kiss on the cheeksomething that never happened between two leaders like them.

Francisco al and the great imam of the Egyptian institute Al Azhar (main authority of Sunni Islam), Ahmed al Tayeb, they sealed an interreligious peace agreement, condemning all discrimination against religious minorities, in a document that they signed Monday night.

An organizer said by loudspeaker that Some 170,000 people, an unprecedented influx into the United Arab Emirates, attended Mbad inside and outside the country's largest stadium, the Zayed Sports City.

According to the organizers, the faithful attended the Mbad of 100 countries and 4,000 Muslims in a sample of the enormous diversity existing among the 9 million inhabitants of the country.

"We have to say that this is really a big event that we never expect," said Sumitha Pinto, a native of India and living in the UAE for 20 years.

Francis celebrated the Mbad exceptionally in English, with a cross high behind him.

"You are a chorus of a variety of nations, languages ​​and rites," he said, speaking of "the joyful symphony of faith" built by the Church.

United Arab Emirates is a country where The population is 85% expatriate, of which 65% are citizens of Asian countries working in all sectors, from construction to services.

It promotes an image of openness, although in the country, "zero tolerance" is practiced in the face of any dissent, especially that of adherents of political Islam represented by the Muslim Brotherhood.

The neighboring kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ultraconservative, prohibits any religious practice other than Islam.

On Monday, in a long speech to leaders of all religions, Francisco encouraged the UAE to "continue their path" by guaranteeing freedom of worship.

At the same time, the Jesuit Pope insisted on the need for "religious freedom", which must go beyond mere freedom of worship. He asked the entire Middle East "the same right to citizenship" for people of different religions.

The homily ends around noon and about an hour later, Francisco embarks for a charter flight from the airline Etihad, back to the Vatican.

On Monday, the pope met with the Emirati leaders and signed a document that promotes "human fraternity" with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the great Imam of Al-Azhar, the respected Egyptian center to become acquainted with the world. Sunni Islam of antiquity. He also urged religious leaders to work together to reject the "miserable hardness" of war and to resist the "logic of armed power (…) to build borders, to build walls".