The Pope has arrived in Portugal to participate in a youth festival anticipated to draw over a million attendees.
This event marks the first of its kind since 2019 and comes after a hiatus due to the pandemic.
Landing in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, on Wednesday, the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has engaged in the World Youth Day event, which convenes young Catholics, including teenagers and those in their early twenties, from around the world.
The event, spanning five days, was initiated by Pope Francis’ predecessor and takes place every two to three years. The most recent event occurred in 2019.
Arriving at the Figo Madura military air base on Wednesday morning, Pope Francis subsequently proceeded to a welcoming ceremony, hosted by Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Notably, this visit is the 86-year-old pontiff’s first trip since undergoing intestinal surgery in June.
During his visit, Francis is also scheduled to have meetings with survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
The Catholic Church has been deeply affected by thousands of allegations of child abuse committed by clergy members worldwide.
These revelations have significantly impacted the Church’s credibility and led to many believers leaving.
Ahead of the Pope’s arrival, advocates for victims erected a large billboard highlighting the widespread issue of sexual abuse within the Portuguese Catholic Church.
Approximately six months ago, a Portuguese commission released a report indicating that there have been at least 4,815 instances of sexual abuse involving minors by clergy since 1950. The victims in these cases were predominantly aged between 10 and 14 years old.
“There will be young people from all over the world and the reality [of abuse] is present in all continents,” Filipa Almeida — who was abused by a priest when she was 17 — told Reuters news agency. “It’s a great opportunity for the Church to do something.”