Pope celebrates Mass in Abu Dhabi in front of thousands of faithful | World



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On Tuesday (5), Pope Francis celebrated an outdoor mbad in front of thousands of worshipers in a stadium in Abu Dhabi, the day of his historic visit to the United Arab Emirates. It is the first time that a pontiff visits the Arabian Peninsula.

According to the Agence France Presse, nearly 170,000 people gathered at the Zayed Sports City stadium, where the Pope boarded in a convertible.

On Monday (4), Pope Francis participated in an interreligious international meeting and argued that justifying "hatred and violence" in the name of God is "a serious desecration".

He also met Abu Dhabi's crown prince, Mohammed Bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a strong man of the kingdom, who prides himself on "peaceful coexistence" between the religions of his country. Pope Francisco greets crowd on arrival at Zayed Sports City stadium Tuesday (Photo: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP) title = "Pope Benedict greets the crowd as he arrives at the Zayed Sports City Stadium stadium on Tuesday. Image: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP "src =" data: image / jpeg; base64, / 9j / 4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD / 2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsKCwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT / 2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT / wgARCAARABkDASIAAhEBAxEB / 8QAGAAAAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGBAP / xAAYAQADAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwUABP / aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABmubXFPorX9DEMDY0DdNJiAkf / 8QAIBAAAgIBAwUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwQCBQAGFBUBEjIzNP / aAAgBAQABBQJ8Qm4EgLsWlupco5ji6vSm3I1hjeHU0XAq5b / VqP0a48M // 8QAHxEAAQMDBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEDEgIEIRExQYGx / 9oACAEDAQE / AVzUNyTEtBrjr0t9lP / EAB4RAAIBAwUAAAAAAAAAAAECABExkQMEEiKx / 9oACAECAQE / AUJ41pmMUfsV9mrbM3FxP // EAC8QAAIAQAAAAAAAECAAMEAQAAMAAMAAMAJAHABA MFluF5hDrvGvvAltmZoa0tstd + sYv TzF0xdhtX8OQv9xHZaWOnyKAUrzVCF1m5YkmxtwPx4xIVKvIy5llVGtOQFrlicf60ViEVDycQrCsI6sltkWtfzjvOV9MyKT049xFJ64frhPlj8xyf // EAB8QAQABBAMBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAERACExQRBRYfBxwf / aAAgBAQABPyFxcIsdkNHeA / GpEwWRdoNZJHyMZphWAVhO8gW3kYnzjpwonpgDdAH1ZUu3R / famDGge0imQMvgYyWw7cJX2n94o / I786 // 2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAEDjAvv / EAB4RAQACAgEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERIQAxQRBRcZGx / 9oACAEDAQE / EE0lLwL3qPA1xjBExuCn7HtzTp5 // 8QAHxEAAgEDBQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAITFxQVFhobHR / 9oACAECAQE / EA6gEDZwLstNtlhrSVwkGzIEZS8EtY8GdT5P / 8QAHRABAQACAQUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAITEgQVHR8f / aAAgBAQABPxCHh0XQSUgRSTyIcHjuVUAFLFVORhBbz + B2QSllJOlfFfeTjRmtDKpc2QATCDN9QIMJCVoGnBr / AHZsjRA0AQ0OoNU3p // Z "/> <img clbad =" image content-media__ picture "itemprop =" contentUrl "alt =" Francis Pope greets the crowd on his arrival at Zayed Sports City Stadium Tuesday (5) – Photo: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP "title =" Pope Benedict XVI greets the crowd at his arrival at the stadium of Zayed Sports City Stadium (5) – Photo: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP "data-src =" https://s2.gl bimg.com/V-CjNK4dy9f-kKjd1Jk92uvSg7g=/0x0:2352x 1626 / 1008×0 / smart / filters: strip_icc () / i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_59edd422c0c84a879bd37670ae4f538a/internal_photos/bs/2019/8/0/kv6Pf0QBWWEYO88V3 crowd arrived at the stadium of the sports city of Zayed Tuesday (5) – Photo: Giuseppe Cacace / AFP

First trip in the Arabian Peninsula

The pope arrived Sunday (3) in Abu Dhabi. At the beginning of the visit, the pope participated in a military ceremony: fighters flew over the gigantic presidential palace, releasing a yellow and white smoke with the colors of the Vatican flag.

On Monday, the pontiff met with the great Sunni Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, president of the "Muslim Council of Elders", a foundation that promotes peace. After the meeting, the pope said in a speech that "there is no violence that can be justified by religion". Pope Francis met Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb on Monday (4) – Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP "title =" Pope Francis met with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb on Monday (4) – photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP src = "data: image / jpeg; base64, / 9j / 4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD / 2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsKCwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT / 2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT / wgARCAASABkDASIAAhEBAxEB / 8QAGQAAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYEBwgF / 8QAFwEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBP / aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABQ6q2NV8dFfobTItLVSsATLfaBx // xAAfEAACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwAEAgUGERITJDT / 2gAIAQEAAQUC13GhR0IrsEsuq58Z7DAA5W419mrH6 + 5XnkZE / OwevUZnkes // 8QAGREAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEBIi / 9oACAEDAQE / AYZa6NUz / 8QAGREAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECEBEh / 9oACAECAQE / AW5bwyon / 8QAJhAAAQMDAgUFAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDEQAEMRATBRIhQXIjJIGRsf / aAAgBAQAGPwK4uuI2ratwSJncbHb5JoS2r6q2tkMMm7Cp3APU7zWDSkuoAQsQQTRRZe8VgKbSDHTPWua4YcYk5cTyzorwpzwP5QBUSIxOn // EACEQAAICAQMFAQAAAAAAAAAAAAERACExUWHBQXGBkbHx / 9oACAEBAAE / ITeKxkhgBhDU4jYCFl4yVzQhk53oKfjGFCJrF9HzE / DQIzM1u3mEQSGtsyVNg + oZCNXMEEBL6peHtqOo2pn / 2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAEJMXY // EABkRAAMBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABETEhof / aAAgBA wEBPxBnajXo + sgjR // EABgRAAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABETEh / 9oACAECAQE / EFONQrW0Wswf / 8QAHhABAQACAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAITFBUfFhwfD / 2gAIAQEAAT8QE0bbnFwGPA0QqYVpYVK97mGVqhPDjRIJ4CGfrvrGLhGYEVBOk8i9YM8bf1oQhKYVW2Y5 + YMDAELp6IXPfMcEi1R51hGBKIcZC1wKkKFiyoBfjPfZ / 9k = "/> Pope <img clbad =" content-media__image picture "itemprop =" contentURL "alt =" Francis met Sheikh Ahmed al (AFP) – Pope Francisco met Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb on Monday (4) – Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP "data-src =" the rest of

Pope Francis met Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb in Countries in the Arabian Peninsula, such as the United Arab Emirates, have Islam as the official religion (Photo: Vincenzo Pinto / AFP

After declaring 2019 "Year of Tolerance", the pope chose the country as a destination because the government boasts of having a population of over 85% expatriates of all nationalities and all religions.

About one million Catholics live in the United Arab Emirates, which represents about 10% of its population. Virtually all Catholics in the country are foreign workers – mainly Asian immigrants from the Philippines and India, as the Holy See has described.

The presence of Christian places of worship attended by foreigners is tolerated in the country. be discreet and avoid proselytism. Public holidays are however prohibited.

However, NGOs have criticized the country for its military intervention in Yemen since 2015, alongside Saudi Arabia, to contain the Huthi rebels.

Before arriving in Abu Dhabi, the pope asked the countries engaged in the conflict in Yemen to "urgently promote respect for the established agreements". The country is facing the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet today.

The United Nations is trying to implement a ceasefire in the port of Hodeidah, the main yemen, essential for the delivery of international aid. The truce could pave the way for peace talks.

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